Featured Composer - Caleb Adams

Caleb Adams writes provocative music that frequently explores volatile topics through sound, often using unusual instrumentation. “I find that the darker aspects of humanity are the very things that make art most meaningful. I like to tap into those darker themes in my work.” His "Pigs and Banjos," premiered by the UNCSA Bassoon Quartet in the spring of 2018, was inspired by the disturbing narrative arc of the film "Deliverance."  The UNCSA Bass Quartet is working on "Draining the Swamp," slated for performance sometime later this season. A new work for soprano and piano, "The Curious Case of Dr. Charles Baker," is inspired by current efforts to reexamine our past given shifting perceptions of right and wrong.

Caleb got into music at a young age through playing guitar and songwriting. “In eighth grade, I submitted a brief piece to a competition and was surprised to win second place and get helpful feedback. That’s when I knew this was the direction I wanted to take.”

As his writing became more sophisticated, he became interested in more complex chord structures, while playing in several local ensembles and bands. In the summer of 2017, Adams attended the Young Composers Program of the Cleveland Institute of Music, after which he enrolled as a Composition Major at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. This past summer he participated in the High School Composition Intensive at the Boston Conservatory. Caleb is currently a high school senior studying with Dr. Lawrence Dillon.

To view a sample of one of Caleb's scores, click on the page below:

 

To listen to Caleb's music, click below: