Sebastian Birch

Sebastian Anthony Birch, a native of Ohio, was brought up in Italy where he began his musical training. He holds a master’s degree in music from Cleveland State University, studying with Edwin London and Bain Murray, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied composition with Donald Erb. 

Dr. Birch has composed numerous works for the stage including the opera Ligeia and the musical, Cricket on the Hearth. He has been commissioned electronic and acoustic works by Cleveland Ballet, The Tom Evert Modern Dance Company, The College of Wooster, and the University of South Florida. Other commissions include The Hidden City, a suite for piano commissioned by the city of Cleveland, premiered by Anita Pontremoli, and Argentum, a work for “flutes and silverware” commissioned by the Cleveland Museum of Art and first performed by Mary Kay Fink and Mel Csicila.  

The song cycle, Trois Chansons, a setting of poems by Charles Baudelaire for soprano and piano, was performed at the New Music and Art Festival in Bowling Green, Ohio. 

Detectio Sonoris for flute and piano has been performed by numerous flautists including Mary Kay Fink, of the Cleveland Orchestra and has been released on the Phasma Music label by Iwona Glinka. 

The string quartet, Life in a Day, has been performed by the Cavani, Vórtice Ensemble, and Efferus string quartets and is released by Golden Hornet. 

His works can be found on Universal and CWPepper. 

Currently, an associate professor of music at Kent State University at Stark, Dr. Birch teaches theory, composition, and piano.