Owen Russell (b. 1999) is a composer, baritone horn player and jazz trombone player based in both Hampshire and York, and has recently completed his undergraduate studies at the University of York. His music explores three mediums:
- Contemporary Concert Music - which explores a variety of auditory colours and aesthetics, usually built on microtones, modality, or a mixture of the two. They are also inspired by a mixture - sometimes by mathematical or theoretical ideas such as just intonation spaces, sometimes by other aspects of culture involved in the composer's life, and sometimes by nothing in particular. Owen's concert music is mostly made up of works for small groups or chamber ensembles, and has been regularly performed by The University of York's Chimera Ensemble.
- Jazz Music - which finds itself intertwined with Owen's jazz performing as a trombonist. He has experience writing for big bands, as well as standards for smaller combos.
- Electronically-Produced Music - which, whilst not always scrictly ambient, consists of predominantly slow-moving textures and strongly abstract structures. This music is available collected together in albums.
In his approach to both areas, he attempts to traverse themes of both conforming to processes and spontaneous creation, crossing paths with Asian philosophies such as Daoism and Buddhism.
In the past, Owen has composed music for:
- The Chimera Ensemble, The 24, and The University of York Jazz Orchestra (all based at the University of York)
- The Southampton Youth Jazz Orchestra
- The Martin Read Festival of Contemporary Music 2019