About

Tayla-Leigh Payne is a Welsh composer and sound artist. She graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) with a First Class Honours in Composition and Creative Technology. During her studies, Tayla explored the worlds of notation and electronics and her works vary greatly from classical contemporary, electronic, hybrid, theatre and audio installations. Presently, she is undertaking a masters degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Tayla’s most recent achievements and commissions include being Presteigne Music Festival’s Emerge Composer in Residence (as of August 2024), BBC’s Music and Meditation Podcast (in association with the BBC Concert Orchestra), London Philharmonic Orchestra's Junior Artists Showcase, Bangor Music Festival (in association with the Canolfan Cerdd William Mathias Ensemble), London Philharmonic Orchestra's Young Composers Programme 2022/23, BBC NOW’s Composition Wales Scheme, Green Space Dark Skies, Dark Matter (in association with TinShed Theatre Company), Ty Cerdd's Composer Studio, CoDI Move, CoDI Lead Scheme (in association with the UPROAR Ensemble, Hijinx Theatre and Paraorchestra), NightMusic (performed by organist James McVinnie) and she premiered her interactive audio installation MIXTAPE at the RWCMD Atmosphere's Festival 2021.

Tayla’s works have been performed in notable venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, BBC’s Hoddinott Hall, St. David’s Hall, g39, SHIFT and even a television premiere on BBC One Wales.

Additionally, her creative practice includes community music, where she has worked with organisations such as Mess Up The Mess (Fi, Ti a Ni, Bloedd and Ice Spy), Operasonic (The Game, Folks of the Footbridge, Sonic Singalong and The Riverfront Project), London Philharmonic Orchestra (Open Sound), Green Space Dark Skies (YOVO and Healthy Lives Project). She is currently a Music Youth Support Worker at YMCA Swansea and a Young Trustee at Anthem Music Fund.

Creative CV

Experience/ Achievements 

Contemporary/Concert Music — (2018-)

Presteigne Music Festival Emerge Composer in Residence (Orchestra - 2024); BBC Music and Mediation Podcast w/ BBC Concert Orchestra (Orchestra - 2024); Bangor Music Festival (Quartet - 2024); Composers Studio Ty Cerdd and UPROAR Ensemble (Large Ensemble - 2024); London Philharmonic Orchestra Junior Artists Showcase (Octet - 2024); London Philharmonic Orchestra Young Composers Programme (Orchestra - 2022/23); NightMusic Ty Cerdd and James McVinnie (Solo Organ - 2022); Composition Wales BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Orchestra - 2020); Encore Ty Cerdd and National Eisteddfod yr Urdd (Solo Marimba - 2020).

Sound Art, Theatre and Film Music - (2021-)

Sonic Progressions Operasonic (Electroacoustic - 2024); The Game Operasonic (Short Film - 2024); Dark Matter TinShed Theatre Company (Electroacoustic - 2023); Green Space Dark Skies Project (Electroacoustic - 2022); CoDI Lead Ty Cerdd and Paraorchestra (Electroacoustic - 2022); Atmosphere’s Festival - MIXTAPE Installation RWCMD (Audio Installation - 2021); Folks of the Footbridge Project Operasonic (Electroacoustic - 2021); Anfamol Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (Theatre - 2021); CoDI Move Ty Cerdd and Hijinx Theatre (Electroacoustic - 2020); The Baffling Exhibition (Electroacoustic - 2019); Therese Raquine RWCMD (Theatre - 2019); Simone RWCMD (Theatre - 2019) and Playboy of the Western World RWCMD (Theatre - 2018).

Outreach/ Community Music Practitioner — (2019-2020)

  • Operasonic (2022) - The Game, Sonic Singalong, Riverfront Project, Folks of the Footbridge Project

  • YMCA Swansea (2021-) - Townhill Youth Club, Barnardo’s Services, YMCA Swansea Good Vibes (LGBTQ+) Services, YMCA Swansea Young Carers Group

  • London Philharmonic Orchestra (2023) - Open Sound Workshop

  • Green Space Dark Skies (2022) - YOVO and Healthy Lives Project

  • Mess Up The Mess (2022) - Spring and Winter Showcase [Fi, Ti a Ni, Ice Spy, Bloedd]

Young Trustee and Youth Forum Member — (2021-)

  • Anthem Cronfa Gerdd Cymru Young Trustee (2022-)

  • Anthem Cronfa Gerdd Cymru Youth Forum (2021)

  • Welsh Music Youth Forum (2021)

Get in touch.

If you are interested in commissioning Tayla-Leigh Payne for any projects or if you wish to hire scores and parts of her works, please contact her below.