Bath Graduate To Conduct Forthcoming Show

A Bath Spa University graduate, Adam Coombs, will soon be conducting the music he composed for a new multimedia stage show The Russian Winter. 

Adam is a MA Composition graduate and has teamed up with songwriter John E Vistic, creative producer Judith Aston and a team of film-makers from the University of the West of England to present a multimedia show inspired by Mikhail Bulgakov’s classic novel The Master and Margarita.

The Russian Winter is about a writer who is at odds with the world and mourning his lost love. An icy Russian winter descends on his heart, gripping him with painful memories and devilishly frightening hallucinations.

Over 24 hours he searches the streets of Bristol fighting the terror of his mind to find his lover and seek a resolution to their conflict.

The sold out shows will feature a 40-piece band, choir and orchestra containing Bath Spa University music students, as well as cinematic projections, visual performances and theatrical elements.

It will be on stage at the Colston Hall in Bristol from Thursday 23rd to Saturday 25th January.

Looking ahead to the show’s premiere, Adam said: “This project has been the most ambitious and most demanding experience of my musical life. The entire project has been achieved without funding and has relied solely on the dedication and generosity of a much wider team.

“It was part of the MA course assessment that encouraged me to work collaboratively outside of my compositional norms that led me here, albeit three years later! There have been many highlights along the way, but it has sometimes been a very gruelling work schedule for us all. I can’t believe we have arrived!

“I am so excited that all the shows have sold out and cannot wait to take the role of conductor and deliver an exciting and immersive performance. I consider this run of shows only the beginning of what could be a much bigger production.

“Some of the aspects we have considered such as choreographed dance and 3D projection mapping are currently not included due to space restrictions and cost, but we hope to develop a funding plan that will allow us to take it to another level.”

MMus Composition course leader, Professor James Saunders added: “Adam began work on The Russian Winter as part of his final project while doing the MA Composition, so it’s great to see the piece is being performed in Bristol where much of it was conceived. Adam has produced some great pieces recently, including a string quartet for Kreutzer Quartet and a solo cello piece performed at the South Bank, but this is his largest scale undertaking to date.”

The official teaser trailer for The Russian Winter which features Adam and his string quartet backing music, can be viewed here

Bath Spa’s MMus Composition course develops composing skills through exploring a wide range of current practice, extending students’ technical knowledge and understanding of compositional thought.

It offers opportunities for work to be rehearsed and performed by visiting professional musicians and fellow students, as well as the space to collaborate with others, and investigate the context that surrounds each composer’s work. The course covers areas of instrumental and vocal composition with the possibility of working with electronic, digital and multimedia resources. It supports work in a wide range of styles and genres, whilst maintaining an experimental and exploratory approach.

The course runs within a vibrant music department with a lively community of undergraduates, postgraduates and staff, supported by access to excellent facilities.