Driven by a lifelong conviction in the power of music to connect, inspire and transform our lives Dave’s eclectic career embraces award winning performance, international touring and recording, and composition for theatre, dance, film, and television.

He is a passionate cross-cultural collaborator developing numerous pioneering projects that weave together disciplines, traditions and technologies.

Biography

Dave Boyd is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer whose work spans film, theatre, dance, and interdisciplinary performance. Drawing on acoustic and electronic traditions, his music explores the relationship between sound, movement, and narrative, often situated at the intersection of cultural memory and contemporary practice.

His work has been commissioned and presented by institutions including the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, Scottish Ballet, and the National Theatre, London. He has composed original scores for theatre, dance, aerial performance, and independent film, developing a practice that moves fluidly between live performance and screen-based work. His compositions are informed by a broad range of musical traditions while maintaining a distinctive cinematic sensibility.

Alongside his creative practice, Boyd has taught and mentored internationally, including at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. His educational work encompasses workshops, residencies, and collaborations with universities, festivals, dance companies, and cultural organisations, reflecting an ongoing commitment to artistic exchange and the development of new voices.

At the centre of Boyd's practice is an interest in collaboration and the expressive potential of music across disciplines. His work seeks to create immersive sonic environments that deepen the relationship between image, movement, and performance, while remaining grounded in clarity, emotional resonance, and craftsmanship.

HIGHLIGHTS

Jeonju Sori Festival, South Korea

Jeonju International Sori Festival, South Korea
Tamburi Mundi, Germany
Vancouver Island Festival
Festival d'Autunno, Italy
Interkeltisches Festival, Germany
Festival of World Cultures, Dublin
Harrison Festival of the Arts, British Columbia
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Celtic Connections, Glasgow
Spielzeit Europa, Berlin 
Fora do Lugar, Portugal

still from CryBaby Hill by SquadWalk Films

SquadWalk Films
​Creative Europe 
​Glasgow Radiance Festival
BBC
Radio Telefis Eireann
RTP

Retina Dance Company
Scottish Ballet
​Scottish Dance Theatre
Fabulous Beast
​Companhia Nacional de Bailado
Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme of the XX Commonwealth Games

Scottish Dance Theatre

All or Nothing Aerial Dance Theatre

The Abbey Theatre Dublin
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
English National Opera
The Royal Shakespeare Company
​stillmotion
All or Nothing Aerial Dance Theatre
Once Off Productions

Contact