Sebastian Grunewald is a percussionist and composer with a fascination for sound in all its facets. His musical path began with piano, clarinet and drums before he finally specialised in percussion. After intensive training at the Städtische Musikschule Potsdam, he studied orchestral percussion at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar with Prof. Markus Leoson and completed his bachelor’s degree there in 2020.
As a percussionist he gained a wide range of orchestral experience, playing with the Junge Philharmonie Brandenburg, the Kammerakademie Potsdam, the Jenaer Philharmonie and the DNT Weimar, among others. He took part in opera productions and international masterclasses, where he received valuable impulses from conductors such as Helmuth Rilling and renowned percussionists such as Martin Grubinger.
Alongside his work as an instrumentalist, he is deeply committed to composition. From 2021 he studied composition (master’s) at the HMT Leipzig with Prof. Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf and Prof. Fabien Lévy, with a special focus on ensemble works, electroacoustic music and hybrid forms between instrumental sound and electronics. His works range from solo pieces and chamber music to compositions for string orchestra and keep exploring new forms of musical dramaturgy.
He also works as a sound designer and composer for media. Since 2020 he has been working for Emberstorm Entertainment, creating music and soundscapes for video games. Most recently he wrote the music for the game REKA, recorded with the Filmorchester Babelsberg. In this work he combines classical composition techniques with contemporary sound concepts to create immersive acoustic experiences that serve the game.
His music moves between structural precision and free exploration of sound, always with the aim of opening up spaces that challenge and expand the way we listen.