Niamh J. O'Donnell

Niamh J. O’Donnell is a Welsh/Australian artist from Aberystwyth and composition graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Inspired by literature, artwork and moving picture, she creates notational and electronic compositions for the concert hall, film, stage and immersive audio installation. Niamh’s music has been performed widely at venues and events including BBC Hoddinott Hall, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, Tramshed Tech, SHIFT, St David's Hall, the Hallé St Peters and the Prince Charles Cinema.

Niamh has enjoyed composing for ensembles such as the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, The Hermes Experiment, the Berkeley Ensemble, UPROAR, and the Gallos Trio. In 2021, she created, composed and directed H.E.R., an immersive performance with bespoke lighting design by Ella Cunnison, for a performance at the Richard Burton Theatre.

In 2022, Niamh took part in Psappha Ensemble’s 'Composing For' scheme for percussion and cello. She was later commissioned by St David's Hall's NightMusic concert series to write Dealt a Hand for Anne Denholm and Héloïse Werner. The following year she wrote Five Windows for BBC National Orchestra of Wales's Composition: Wales scheme which was premiered at BBC Hoddinott Hall and subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio Cymru.

Beyond the concert hall, Niamh pursues scoring to picture, having recently written music for the short film, I Am One, directed and written by Alexander Vlahos, which aired on the BBC in 2021 and We Shook the Sun directed by Remco Merbis. Niamh’s most recent successes include creating the hybrid piece Mirror Image for piano and electronics as part of the concert SOLOS; writing a Bangor Music Festival commission for Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias; participating in the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's Composers Lab 2024, with guidance from film music mentors Patrick Doyle and Danai Kokogia; and receiving the 2024 Paul Mealor Prize for composers. She acted as a judge on the panel for Tlws y Cyfansoddwr in the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 2024 in Pontypridd.

Biography supplied by composer.
Photo: Two Cats in the Yard Photography