Cameron Naylor is an electroacoustic composer and sound artist. He is a Leeds Beckett alumnus, graduating from BA (Hons) Music Performance and Production in 2021. Through the manipulation of field recording and abstract sound material, his compositions explore sound and space as a metaphor in musical storytelling.

His research interests focus on exploring the dramatic potential of sound in a variety of formats, including acousmatic music, sound installations, soundscape for theatre and radio, as well as composition for film and spoken word. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you've been doing since you graduated?

My name is Cameron Naylor and I’m a composer and sound designer. Since graduating, I have achieved a Master’s in Composition, specialising in electroacoustic music and interactive media.

I’ve been lucky enough to have had some great opportunities since graduating, such as exhibiting my work in the Leeds City Museum, John Rylands Library, and the Science and Industry Museum as part of the Manchester Science week. Along with this I have had my work performed around the UK at concerts and conferences and been fortunate enough to go to places like Denmark and India to perform and exhibit.

Alongside my music, I have been actively pursuing sound in a variety of mediums, having worked as a sound designer and composer for a few short films, as well as theatre shows, and radio programmes. 

Tell us about the award you won at the Matera/Intermedia Festival, and what that piece of work was all about?

I won the award of distinction in acousmatic music at the Matera/Intermedia festival for my piece Foxglove. The piece is 15-minutes long and is 8-channel, meaning it utilises 8 speakers positioned in a circle around the audience to achieve a surround sound effect.

The piece was composed as part of my portfolio of works during my Master’s degree in the NOVARS Research Centre studios, and the theme of the piece is around the growth processes of a tree. In this way the piece is non-instrumental, using only recorded sounds from an actual tree – which was small enough to bring into the studio – which allowed me to use a range of conventional and experimental microphone techniques to ‘perform’ the tree and explore the variety of sounds that it can make (no trees were harmed during the making of the piece!).

It was probably the most challenging piece I’ve composed, and from start to finish took around three months to make, so naturally it means a lot to me. It’s nice to see it recognised by MA/IN festival in this way. As a part of the award, I have been invited to Lecce to perform the piece in person as a part of their concert series alongside some fantastic composers! 

How has your experience of studying at Leeds Beckett influenced you and your career?

I’ve always known I wanted to go into a creative field, however studying at Leeds Beckett allowed for the time and facilities to truly explore my options. My degree provided me with enough space and confidence to develop as a musician independently, as well as with the guidance of some great lecturers.

We were told on the induction to the course that unlike a conservatoire, we would be taught how to make our own music, not play that of others, and that remained pertinent throughout the degree. 

What's next for you?

This September I’m returning to The University of Manchester to study my PhD in electroacoustic composition, researching experimental composition and spatial audio as informed by historical narratives and heritage spaces across the city.

Along with this I have a few projects out at the end of the year, an installation in Ty Pawb in Wrexham, as well as a new piece and interactive installation curated around the Manchester Central Libraries recently digitized archives – it’s an exciting if not slightly busy time!

The Matera/Intermedia Festival is an annual festival focused on digital culture and musical experimentations. In addition to Cameron’s Award of Distinction in the Acousmatic Category, Professor Nikos Stavropoulos, Professor of Composition at Leeds Beckett University, was also awarded an Honorary Mention for his piece ‘Khemenu’ in the same category.