Sebastian Block (b. 04) is an electroacoustic and acoustic composer, guitarist, and writer originally from Los Angeles, now based in New York City. Sebastian’s influences are not limited to, but are certainly informed by, his interest in psychology, literature, and philosophy. His music has been described as new, important, and “always a surprise.”

Sebastian has studied with David Adamcyk and Reiko Fueting, and as of Spring 2027, will have completed his bachelor's degree at the Manhattan School of Music. Many ensembles have performed his music, including Windscape in 2024; in 2027, Sebastian’s work for guitar and orchestra, Die Pausen (Abspielen), will premiere with Carlen Gong and the MSM Symphony Orchestra in Neidorff-Karpati Hall. Sebastian has worked with other notable artists and composers such as Tongyu Lu on a collaborative installation (Big Fans) and Grace Goss on a collaborative piece for drum set and Max/MSP/Jitter (BeatBreak).

He was formerly in the post-punk & experimental noise rock band Swandive, with which he recorded two albums as a guitarist before their inevitable demise. He also founded the experimental industrial music collective KommuneVI.

While his background is in both electric and classical guitar, Sebastian has never limited himself to doing what he knows; he is always seeking to understand more, particularly, recently leading him to learn how to use Max/MSP/Jitter, commonly used in his current projects. When asked whether he was excited for the concert happening that night, J. Mark Stambaugh(Composer, Educator, & Theorist) replied, “It is always a special concert when a Sebastian Block piece is to be played.”

SEBASTIAN BLOCK

sebastianbcomposer@gmail.com

SEBASTIAN
BLOCK

EDUCATION

2023-Present

B.M. - Composition
Manhattan School of Music

RECENT WORKS

2026

Poem [SAXOPHONE]

2026

Big Fans [INSTALLATION]

CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH TONGYU LU

2026

BeatBreak [DRUM SET, ELECTRONICS]

PROGRAM NOTES

2025

I Wished For it to Last Forever [ELECTRONICS]

2025

Abrasax Part I: Qui tollis peccata mundi [PIANO, CELLO, ELECTRONICS]

PROGRAM NOTES

2025

For Love to Require Words [PIANO, 2 VIOLINS]

PROGRAM NOTES

2024

The Color Out of Space

COMMISSIONED BY WINDSCSAPE ENSEMBLE
PROGRAM NOTES

2024

Shanda [CELLO]

2023

Minismatic[2 VIOLINS, VIOLA, CELLO]

SELECTED AWARDS AND COMMISSIONS

2024

Windscape Ensemble Commission