His music creates epic atmospheres on screen

A programme full of drama and excitement- such as the X Factor- was just what composer Owain Llwyd had in mind when writing epic music for the media- and he hit the nail on the head- as one of his compositions from that collection was selected to be used on the X Factor itself. The composer and lecturer Owain Llwyd

It’s also entirely possible that you will have heard one the pieces by the composer for the media, who also lectures at Bangor University’s School of Music. Owain Llwyd’s pieces have been used in several highly popular programmes such as Top Gear, Countryfile and Timewatch. His pieces have also been used abroad: in Germany’s version of Big Brother, for the television coverage of the US Open tennis championships and on Fox and BBC America channels.

Owain Llwyd has just begun lecturing in composing and composing for the media at Bangor University’s School of Music. He lectures in Welsh, having received a Welsh Medium Scholarship from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. He graduated from Bangor and also achieved a Doctorate at Bangor’s School of Music.

In the last 18 months, he has composed and released four CD’s packed with epic compositions. Another DC of Owain’s work is to be released soon- but don’t rush to your nearest record store- Owain works with a music publishing company who have sent his CDs to television and film production companies around the globe. This is now bearing fruit, with television programmes and films selecting his pieces for their productions. He is also receiving commissions for special pieces from some production companies.

‘I’m really fond of listening to big epic pieces of music. I like the music from films such as Braveheart and Gladiator, so composing this type of music comes fairly easily. I begin by imagining the type of audience that will be listening to the music, and sketch the music on a piano before moving to full orchestration,” he explains.

“For the latest CD, ‘Big Screen Atmospheres’ I had to create the details and variations to music, the basis of which had already been recorded. I went to Bratislava to record with an orchestra and then to Latvia to work with Riga Choir. As well as composing, I had a role as producer on the CD, working with the production team at my publisher, Boosey & Hawkes.”

“The brief was to create dramatic music: you need a lot going on musically, in a film trailer for an epic film, for example- you need a musical’ event every five seconds.”

 So, the next time you’re listening to some moving incidental music as part of a television programme or film, you never know, it may be that you’re listening to a piece by the young composer from Glyndyfrdwy, Owain Llwyd.

Owain says that his success would not have been possible without the continued support of his parents, Mike and Shirley Brown.

Publication date: 8 November 2010