FOCO STEPHEN O’MALLEY
Elodie Lesourd
Stephen O'Malley (born in 1974 in Seattle) is an American guitarist, composer, producer and visual artist based in Paris, widely recognised for his long, microtonal and physically intense pieces, characterised by a saturated sonic density and an almost sculptural approach to sound. A multifaceted and transdisciplinary artist, O’Malley has distinguished himself as a founding member and collaborator of numerous groups and projects, spanning performance, contemporary composition, improvisation and the most exploratory fringes of metal. Since 1993, he has given hundreds of concerts and performances worldwide and is now considered one of the central figures in experimental and contemporary drone music.
His artistic practice spans a diverse range of musical and visual fields, catalysing encounters between musicians, audiences and generations. Among his numerous collaborators are François J. Bonnet, Scott Walker, Jim O’Rourke, Keiji Haino, Oren Ambarchi and Kali Malone; contemporary composers such as Iancu Dumitrescu, Eyvind Kang and Alvin Lucier; conductor Ilan Volkov; choreographer Gisèle Vienne; author Dennis Cooper; sculptor Banks Violette; and filmmakers such as Jim Jarmusch. His discography features on leading labels such as Mego, Shelter Press, Portraits GRM and iDEAL Recordings.
Throughout 2026, the Serralves Museum will be dedicating a special focus to this key figure on the contemporary music scene, presenting a range of projects that reveal the breadth and complexity of his work. The programme includes Sunn O))) – the band he founded with Greg Anderson – ; several concerts featuring works created in collaboration with various instrumental ensembles, notably the alphorn group Alponom, the soloists’ ensemble Contrechamps and the experimental orchestra ONCEIM; and also the premiere of several pieces for small ensembles performed by the Portuguese group ars ad hoc.
