Profiles

Adam Swayne works with a vast range of musical media and styles that go beyond conventional labelling. He is just as at home giving a solo piano recital or conducting an orchestra as he is organising musical installations in art galleries or composing for amateur ensembles. He takes an inclusive, informative and innovative approach to his music making that is drawing an increasingly large audience.

Adam is a graduate of the joint course between Manchester University and the RNCM. He gained first class degrees from both institutions, and an MMus from the RNCM. Manchester University gave Adam their highest award (Sir Thomas Beecham Medal) along with other prizes including the Recital Prize. Prizes from the RNCM included the John Ireland Prize and an award for performances of contemporary music.

In 2003 Adam was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to begin doctoral studies at Northwestern University, U.S.A. He graduated in 2006 with distinction, having presented several U.S. premières of works by British composers.

Adam is now Senior Lecturer in Music and Musical Theatre at the University of Chichester and regional coordinator for the University of Chichester Music Academy (UCMA).

Adam has performed at many major venues in London (Purcell Room, St James’ Piccadilly and St Martin In-The-Fields), Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, at Festivals including Soundwaves Festival (Brighton) and live on BBC Radio 3 at the BBC Proms (Composer Portrait 2004). He has performed concertos in Europe and America and has recorded for the UHR label. He has given countless premières and has commissioned works from Gareth Parry, Kevin Malone and Ailis Ni Riain, attracting funding from Arts Council England through the National Lottery. Collaborations with other composers include Harrison Birtwistle, John Adams, Graham Fitkin, John Casken, John Corigliano, Geoffrey Poole and Gary Carpenter. He has given duo and multi-piano performances with Jonathan Plowright, Terence Allbright, Susan Legg and gave the UK première of Steve Reich’s Harpsichord Phase with Jane Chapman. He frequently directs from the piano in classical concertos as well as contemporary repertoire, and formerly directed the Chicago multi-piano ensemble 88X from the keyboard. He was a Park Lane Group Young Artist 2008 and teaches piano at the Royal Academy of Music.

Commissions include St Catharine’s College Cambridge (Many Dark Actor Playing Games), RNCM (Office Party), Portsmouth Grammar School (Santa Dances), leading UK architect John Wheatley (Gridshell), Project Keyboard: EXCEL (Football Crazy), and the Ebony Duo (Tarantella) attracting funds from the Scottish Arts Council and the Hope Scott Trust. His work for Manchester University Wind Orchestra (Go Down Hoe Down) was featured at the International Wind Festival in Glasgow in 2007. Adam’s piece for trumpet and piano, Lezghinka, was performed at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff at the Brass Final of BBC Young Musician of the Year 2010 broadcast on BBC Television. The performer was Sam Moffitt, who also commissioned the work. In 2011 Adam collaborated with Crawley-based beatboxer Krystal Gob to compose a Beatbox Concerto using a unique notational system, resulting in performances at Chichester University and in Lewes (featuring CoMA Sussex).

Adam is Music Director for CoMA Sussex, Lancing College Concert Band and the Contemporary Music Group at Chichester University. He was formerly Principal Conductor for Southampton University Symphonic Wind Orchestra and Manchester University Sinfonietta. He has appeared in venues throughout the UK, recently sharing a platform with composer Stephen Montague at the 2009 Arundel Town Festival in his Dark Sun. He recently directed CoMA Sussex in a performance of Andriessen’s Workers Union at Brighton’s Concorde 2 in a Music and Freedom event attended by Caroline Lucas MP.