Dyfan Jones - Composition & Sound Design
In 2022, Dyfan was back at Stockroom as Musical Director and Sound Designer on The Glee Club, as well as a return to the RSC as Sound Designer on The Comedy of Errors. He has been appointed as Director of Music and Sound on the GALWAD project - an exciting transmedia event taking place live, on radio, tv and online.
Dyfan has been Musical Director for new and highly acclaimed productions of musicals such as Spring Awakening and Little Shop of Horrors as well as writing many musicals of his own. His musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations received exceptional reviews following a sold out residency at Theatre Clwyd and a tour of the UK. Mimosa, a new musical at Clwyd Theatr Cymru which, after a Welsh tour and a successful initial run at the Theatre, went on to tour Patagonia in South America.
Reviews for “Great Expectations”
From the misty opening on the Essex marshes to the bittersweet denouement of Dickens' compelling story - it is seamlessly woven together by a tuneful and atmospheric score of music and songs by Dyfan Jones, the production is a truly thrilling theatrical experience.
...this new production of Great Expectations is a truly memorable piece of musical theatre.
Broadway World
(Joe Gargery’s) song of friendship has no trace of false sentimentality; it’s simply what Joe would sing if he was able to express those emotions.
The Stage
... a tight, well-crafted musical play, with a strong cast and memorable songs. Composer Dyfan Jones and Baker have collaborated on some excellent songs, from the yearning opening piece on memories to the scorching Break His Heart, and the amusing Gentleman.
Western Mail
Reviews for “Portrait of the Artist”
...To cap it all there is glorious harmony in the Welsh songs that the cast sing to both link and divide the scenes. This is an utterly enchanting production.
...their singing of hymns and traditional Welsh songs is pure, clear and tremendously moving.
...the most glowering, chameleon cyclorama I’ve ever seen; accompanied by the loving sounds of gentle waves and raindrop piano notes.
Reviews for “Contractions”
...In between each scene there is complete darkness and a mechanical churning sound blasts out on the audience – getting increasingly intense as the play goes on. It’s an unnerving noise that keeps a dark undertone throughout the production, but it still doesn’t prepare you for the sharp change is tone when everything starts to turn sour.
...The play is structured in short individual scenes that are interspersed by Dyfan Jones’ oppressive soundscape of whirring gears, machine cranks and rending metal, which fill the Chapter Stwdio with a creeping sense of dread.
...There are blackouts between each scene when a droning soundtrack by composer Dyfan Jones is pumped around the studio heightening suspense. This together with the repetitiveness at the start of each scene makes you feel as though you are crumbling along with Emma.
...The scene-transitions are soundtracked by psychosis-inducing drones (sound design by Dyfan Jones), quickly establishing that all is not well.
Dyfan was born in Aberdare in the South Wales Valleys. He began composing songs and music at an early age, writing for school productions and playing the Organ at Sunday Services and Weddings. His teenage years were spent obsessing over, and experimenting with, electronic instruments and computers. Aged 16, the choice was music or mathematics. Music won, (only just). This led to a Degree inn Music Technology at Kingston University, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma (Composition) at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Dyfan has over 30 years experience as a Composer, Musical Director and Sound Designer. His work ranges from scoring children’s television animations to gritty theatrical sound designs and he enjoys the range of work - be it MDing musicals, scoring for TV/Theatre, Sound and System Design or Studio Production.
Over recent years, he has worked on Theatre Productions with Kate Wasserberg, Phillip Breen, Roxana Silbert, Steffan Donnelly and Matthew Dunster.
In 2019 Dyfan Composed for Vivienne Westwood’s Autumn Winter Show at London Fashion Week followes by the Sound Design for The Provoked Wife in Stratford with Philip Breen for the RSC. Caru Canu, a new Animated series, was Composed and Arranged during the first half of the year with Autumn bringing a new production of Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle by Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, followed by Sydney & the Old Girl by Eugene O’Hare at The Park Theatre and The Ugly Duckling at Sherman Cymru. To end the year there’s a return to The Riverfront as Musical Director on Cinderella.
Theatrical work in 2018 included productions such as Shakespeare in Love at Theatre Royal Bath with Philip Breen, Close Quarters at The Crucible, Sheffield with Kate Wasserberg, a tour of Nyrsys for Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru with Sara Lloyd and Sleeping Beauty at The Riverfront, Newport, directed by Richard Gauntlett.
He has orchestrated and written music for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Scottish National Orchestra. Dyfan is an associate artist at Clwyd Theatr Cymru and has been Composer, Musical Director or Sound Designer over 70 productions there.
Dyfan worked on Cyrano with Philip Breen at Theatr Clwyd, The Barnbow Canaries and Insignificance with Kate Wasserberg at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Theatr Clwyd respectively and Before I Leave with Matthew Dunster for National Theatre of Wales. He worked on 2 more shows with the world renowned Director Max Stafford Clarke, All That Fall by Samuel Beckett and A View from Islington North at the Arts Theatre in London’s West End. His final show last year was Treasure Island with Philip Breen at the Birmingham Rep.
He has also been working with WNO, recording a new version of The Hammer Song from The Barber of Seville and is in the middle of arranging and recording the 2nd series of Caru Canu with Twt for S4C.
Other recent Theatrical productions include All My Sons and Insignificance at Theatr Clwyd and Blasted and Play at The Other Room, Directed by Kate Wasserberg along with Silence, directed by Titas Halder. Dyfan was proud to be the Sound Designer for the first 3 seasons at The Other Room, a new theatre in the heart of Cardiff. In 2017 Dyfan designed a site-specific production of Macbeth, directed by Arwel Gruffydd at Caerphilly Castle and Amedee at the Birmingham Rep with Roxana Silbert, followed by Seanmhair and Little Voice with Kate Wasserberg at The Other Room and Theatr Clwyd and Travels with my Aunt with Philip Breen at The Glasgow Citizens. He also Composed and Sound Designed for Chwalfa, the opening show at Pontio in Bangor for Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru.
As well as commissioned work for TV Drama, Cartoons and Documentaries, Dyfan also writes Production Music for many labels.
Dyfan works from his studio in his home town of Aberdare.
“Dyfan's creative genius, ability to work quickly, understanding of genre and ability to recognise the need for the simple and the need for the complex make him, in my view, the most outstanding composer working in Wales. Dyfan has been, and would be, my first choice with any project, both as arranger and composer. His contribution to my work has been immense.“
Tim Baker, Associate Director, Clwyd Theatr Cymru
In the Spring of 2024, Boys from the Blackstuff, first staged in Autumn 2023 at Liverpool's Royal Court, was remounted with a transfer to the Olivier at the National Theatre, followed by a West End run at the Garrick Theatre. In 2024 Dyfan was glad to be able to return to Theatr Clwyd for two shows in Kate Wasserberg's first season as Artistic Director. Constellations and Rope, Directed by Daniel Lloyd and Francesca Goodridge respectively, are playing at The Mix Theatre.
Following on from the Caru Canu series, Dyfan has been working on numerous productions with Siwan Jobbins at Twt Productions. In 2024 he is working on a newly commissioned 20 part cartoon series - Ani Ben Dod.
2024 will end with Dyfan back at The Riverfront Theatre as Musical Director on the much loved Newport Panto, Dick Whittington.