Student Composer in Residence 2024 – Hayden Taylor
This residency, a paid commission from a reputable Australian arts institution, has helped advance my career. It solidifies my status as an emerging composer and helps provide me with a foundation for future work. Hayden Taylor
I am Hayden Taylor, an emerging composer currently studying a Bachelor of Music Composition at the University of Melbourne. Alongside music, I have a deep love of history and applied for the Grainger Museum residency to combine these two passions.
My residency started with research, closely studying the music and writings of Percy Grainger, and visiting the museum and its archives. Next, I discussed various proposals with museum staff, developing a plan for my composition and artistic contribution. This culminated in conceptualising a ‘guided audio tour’ which immerses visitors in the sounds of Percy Grainger’s world as they explore the museum. To realise this I set about composing, developing a soundscape for violin, clarinet, french horn, theremin, piano, and percussion.
The grant money allowed me to receive specialist training including how to manage and run a professional recording operation, and how to mix, master, and deliver the resultant audio. I recorded the soundscape in the Prudence Myer Studio. Delivery of the music was especially challenging because of the museum’s unique acoustics and sound system. This residency, a paid commission from a reputable Australian arts institution, has helped advance my career. It solidifies my status as an emerging composer and helps provide me with a foundation for future work. I plan to leverage my time at the museum by rearranging the music I wrote in a future collaborative project with the Grainger Wind Symphony.
Special thanks to the museum staff, especially Heather Gaunt and Sarah Kirby, and Susan Eldridge from IgniteLAB for their support in my residency.