Sarah Westwood

Sarah Westwood (UK) writes music for dance, music-theatre, installation, and concerts. Her music is introspective, and is concerned with: memory and the failure of memory; embodiment and transcendence; somatics and matters of the heart. Working in both acoustic and electronic music, with traditional notation, open scores, and improvisation.

Sarah's work has been received in eleven European countries, across four continents, commissioned and awarded. With performances of her work by The Interstring Project (DE), Après l’Histoire, Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble, Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, Ensemble L'imaginaire (FR), Prism Piano Trio Boston, and soloists Dan Thorpe, Aleksandra Demowska-Madejska, Jelena Makarova, and Karin Hellqvist, amongst others; in venues and festivals including Echofluxx (Prague), Queen Elizabeth Hall (London), CROSSROADS Festival (Mozateum, Salzburg), Snape Maltings (UK), Le Petite Cabinet (Strasbourg), Being Human Festival (Horniman Mueseum and Gardens London), St John's Smith Square (London), Constellations (Chicago), OUA Festival (Osaka Japan), Electric Lodge (Los Angeles), Cheltenham Music Festival (UK), Siobhan Davies Dance Studio (London), and Dance Limerick (Ireland).  

Notable attainments include being awarded the Bliss Trust Scholarship for artistic development to USA at UCSD; selected for a Creative Retreat at The Red House Aldeburgh (supported by Britten-Pears Foundation); selected composer for ISCM World Music Days New Zealand 2020; winner of the 21st Left Coast Chamber Ensemble Competition San Fransisco; selected as a composer for Phoenix Dance Theatre’s inaugural Choreographers and Composers Lab Leeds, and a musician in Ircam Academy's In Vivio Danse Paris.

​Sarah is currently a PhD composition student at Goldsmiths University of London, studying with Patricia Alessandrini and Lauren Redhead. She began studying classical piano and improvisation at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, and later graduated in composition and performance at Bangor University of Wales with a  MA (Distinction). Sarah has been a graduate exchange scholar at UCSD, and completed a graduate  summer programme at Eastman School of Music. She has received further mentorship from Chaya Czernowin, Kenneth Hesketh, Toshio Hosokawa, Justė Janulytė, Andrew Lewis, Anton Lukoszevieze, and Katharina Rosenberger. ​

Alongside composing, Sarah is Director of Programmes at 'Estalagem da Ponta do Sol Contemporary Music and Electronic Residency' Madeira (Portugal), bringing expert practitioners and practising sound artists, composers and performers from varied backgrounds together.

She is also a Co-Director for Illuminate Women’s Music. The project aims to promote the work of women composers and performers, performing across UK. Illuminate has received funding from Arts Council England, Ambache Charitable Trust, GEMMA Trust, The Hinrichsen Foundation, ISM, and RVW Trust.