Niamh Jacqueline 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, G39, Stiwdio Pontio, 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 whilst under the tutelage of composers including Mark Bowden, Lynne Plowman, Joseph Davies, Owen Lloyd and Mark D. Boden.  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, harp and Héloïse Werner, voice. 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 3. 

 

Beyond the concert hall, Niamh has worked as assistant composer on Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru’s production of Anfamol. She also pursues scoring to picture, having recently written music for the short film, I Am One, which aired on the BBC in 2021.

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Niamh’s most recent successes include creating the hybrid piece Mirror Image for piano and electronics as part of the concert SOLOS; composing for the UPROAR ensemble as part of Tŷ Cerdd’s CoDi Composers' Studio scheme; writing a Bangor Music Festival commission for Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias; participating in Royal Scottish National Orchestra's Composers Lab 2024, with guidance from film music mentors Patrick Doyle and Danai Kokogia; and winning the 2024 Paul Mealor Prize for composers.

 

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