Owain Llwyd is an award-winning and versatile Welsh composer, arranger and orchestrator working across concert music, film and television with an extensive portfolio of commissioned concert work and contemporary collaborations.
Owain came to prominence as a composer by winning all 5 Composer’s Medals in both the Urdd National Eisteddfod and the National Eisteddfod of Wales between 2002 and 2005 – the only composer to ever have achieved this accolade.
Owain graduated with a First Class Honours Bachelor of Music degree in 2005 from Bangor University where he studied under esteemed composer Prof. Pwyll ap Sion and for which he was awarded the Sir John Morris Jones Prize for the highest degree mark University-wide following a final recital performance of Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Bangor University Symphony Orchestra. Owain was subsequently awarded a PhD in 2010 for his research and portfolio of music for moving images. As a pianist, Owain holds a Dip.ABRSM, and he has won the prestigious Blue Ribband Instrumental Award at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
From 2010 to 2019, Owain held a Welsh Government-sponsored teaching fellowship at Bangor University, where he established new disciplines in film orchestration and composition for film and media whilst also supporting the next generation of concert composers through his instruction in acoustic composition. Owain also founded one of the few University Session Orchestras in the UK – the ‘Bangor Session Orchestra’.
Owain’s concert work has been performed by world renowned performers including Catrin Finch, WNO Orchestra, Claire Jones, the Black Dyke Brass Band, Iwan Llewelyn-Jones, O Duo, Côr Meibion Llangwm Male Voice Choir, and many others.
Owain gratefully acknowledges the Arts Council of Wales, Ty Cerdd, National Lottery Funds and PRS Foundation for their support throughout his career.
Beyond concert work, Owain has an extensive portfolio of commercial music work that has been successfully used in TV and film having been recorded in the world’s top recording studios by many of the world’s leading orchestras. Owain has also collaborated with global dance brand Ministry of Sound, international artists including Ricky Gervais, Gabrielle Aplin, Hannah Grace, Reuel Elijah, and popular Welsh Language pop artists including Swnami, Yr Ods, Mr Phormula, Casi.
Owain works full-time as a composer and welcomes all opportunities to connect for collaboration and commissioning.