Darius Paymai

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 interviewPRXLUDES




date
    work
    ?
    2024
    21st June
      quintet
      Milton Court Concert Hall (UK)

      Plus-Minus Ensemble

      w/new works by Guildhall MMus composers

      13th May
        love song
        Milton Court Concert Hall (UK)

        EXAUDI Vocal Ensemble

        w/works by James Weeks, Zesses Seglias, and new works by Guildhall MMus composers

        • 9th May
          Milton Court Concert Hall (UK)

          soprano — Harriet Cameron
          piano — Jingyi Cao

          w/new works by Guildhall MMus composers

          19th March
          for two  (spring)
          Milton Court Concert Hall (UK)

          violin — Victoria Willumsen Lewis
          piano — Yihan Chen

          w/new works by Guildhall MMus composers

          2023
          1st Decemberas if almost erasing
            The Place (UK)

            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

            30th Novemberas if almost erasing
              (as above)



              26th November
                unfinished
                  • Iklectik Art Lab (UK)

                  melodica, piano, voice, movement

                  performing with fellow Guildhall Students as part of unfinished collective, with this session led by Lara Agar and Sylvia Lim

                  including a new text score (work in progress) by myself

                  29th September
                  Milton Court Concert Hall (UK)

                  pianos — Yihan Chen, Maxime Trechsel

                  • w/ new works by Guildhall
                  • MMus composers





                  contact for scores, CV, further info, recordings, or just to say hello


                  ©Darius Paymai 2024