Sarah Davachi (CAN)

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Born in Calgary, composer and performer of acoustic and electronic music, Davachi has in just a few years secured a central place in the ambient minimalism scene and in contemporary timbral research. Her practice investigates the complexity of the inner auditory space and intimate listening through extended durations and simple harmonic structures that highlight almost imperceptible variations in timbre, psychoacoustic phenomena, and combinations of temperament and tuning. In this sense, her music stands in continuity with the principles of 1960s and ’70s minimalism, but also with baroque processes and experimental recording practices.

After founding her label Late Music in 2020, Davachi released Cantus, Descant, a double album widely praised by publications such as Pitchfork, Uncut, The Wire, and The Quietus. In the following years her output intensified: Antiphonals (2021), a work exploring writing for small ensembles and harmonic layering; Two Sisters (2022), an album that weaves organ and wind instruments into a meditative dialogue; and Long Gradus: Arrangements (2023), a collection of studies reflecting on the slow, gradual transformation of sound. At the same time, Davachi continued to receive commissions from international institutions and to present new works at festivals and venues dedicated to contemporary music.

Among her most recent projects are Tenerae (2023–24), for organ and four trombones, commissioned by Lampo and the Chicago Architecture Biennial, and Basso Continuo (2024), for mixed ensemble with microtonal instruments, commissioned by the Ghost Ensemble. In 2024–25 she composed The Rose Dialogues, for organ, string trio, and tape, and Songs of the Smile’s Fig, for chamber choir, commissioned by the Louth Contemporary Music Society. These works confirm her ability to move across different musical languages while maintaining a strong aesthetic coherence.

Her music has been performed by ensembles such as the London Contemporary Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and Chamber Choir Ireland, and she has collaborated with artists including Grouper, William Basinski, Oren Ambarchi, Suzanne Ciani, Alessandro Cortini, and Ellen Arkbro. Her research remains deeply tied to the organ, an instrument Davachi considers a privileged laboratory for exploring resonance and the temporality of sound.

Alongside her artistic career, Davachi is pursuing a PhD in musicology at UCLA, with research focused on critical organology and timbre in popular, experimental, and early music. She lives in Los Angeles, but her activity is international: she regularly takes part in festivals and series across Europe and North America, consolidating her reputation as one of the most influential composers of her generation.