Image by Sam White
Darius Paymai is an Iranian-American composer and performer based in London. His work is characterised by a clarity of approach and economy of material: often fragile, static, cyclical, found and reused in new contexts.
He is undertaking an Artist Master’s at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, learning with Laurence Crane, where he also studied at an undergraduate level with Paul Newland and Paul Whitmarsh.
As a composer he has worked with ensembles such as the London Chamber Orchestra, Plus-Minus Ensemble, Britten Sinfonia, EXAUDI, Quatuor Bozzini, and cellist Francesco Dillon, and his music performed at St. John’s Smith Square, The Place, Milton Court Concert Hall, and Hundred Years Gallery.
As a performer he is interested in approaching experimental repertoire, drone, and free improvisation, often with harmonium, percussion, or live electronics, as well as making and presenting independent radio shows.
His studies have been supported by the Guildhall School Trust.
He enjoys two-word piece titles and crossword puzzles.
link to recent interview
The Orchestra of Futurist Noise Intoners
performing as part of the Orchestra of Futurist Noise Intoners, cond. Luciano Chessa
works by Luigi Russolo, Paolo Buzzi, Pablo Ortiz, Margareth Kammerer, Pauline Oliveros, and Chris Newman (wp)
more information
read a review
Plus-Minus Ensemble
w/new works by Guildhall MMus composers
EXAUDI Vocal Ensemble
w/works by James Weeks, Zesses Seglias, and new works by Guildhall MMus composers
- 9th May
soprano — Harriet Cameron
piano — Jingyi Cao
w/new works by Guildhall MMus composers
violin — Victoria Willumsen Lewis
piano — Yihan Chen
w/new works by Guildhall MMus composers
violas — Isobel Doncaster, Georgia Russell
dancers — Charlotte Guilbert-Greene, Sally Hsu, Ashley Lin, Elvi Rose Christiansen Head
w/new works by Guildhall MMus composers in collaboration with LCDS choreographers