Image by Samuel 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
- b. clarinet, e. guitar, percussion, violin, ‘cello
- written for Plus Minus Ensemble
- love song 2024
- 8’
- chamber vocal sextet
- written for EXAUDI Vocal Ensemble
- old logic 2024
- 7’
- soprano, piano, fixed media
- collaboration with Alexia Peniguel
- written for Harriet Cameron and Jingyi Cao
- for two (spring) 2024
- 10’
- violin, piano
- written for Victoria Lewis and Yihan Chen
- as if almost erasing 2023
- 12’
- four dancers, two violas, fixed media
- collaboration with Samara Langham
- written for Isobel Doncaster and Georgia Russell
- lee shore 2023
- 5’
- two pianos
- written for Yihan Chen and Maxime Trechsel
- slow dance 2022
- 18’
- ‘cello
- written for Francesco Dillon
- me fait languir 2022
- 6’
- orchestra
- written for the London Chamber Orchestra
- four quartets 2021
- 7’
- flute, oboe, violin, ‘cello
- written for Britten Sinfonia Opus 1
- piano quartet 2021
- 12’
- violin, viola, ‘cello, piano
- written for The De Kooning Ensemble