About

Introduction

"Wild Sounds of Wales" is a new project that combines orchestral music, nature sounds, and virtual reality technology. Developed by Welsh composer Owain Llwyd, the project aims to create an immersive experience of Welsh landscapes through music, sound and technology.

The idea for the project emerged during 2021 when Owain was composing "Y Gogarth," a 15-minute orchestral piece for WNO Orchestra celebrating the Great Orme in Llandudno. Around this time, Owain began exploring virtual reality development as a creative. He realised that VR could be used to transport audiences into the natural environments that inspire his music.

In 2022, Owain attended the Wildscreen festival in Bristol, where he made two important connections. He met Jacinth Latta, a producer/director who had worked on David Attenborough's Glastonbury Festival appearance in 2019. Jacinth's experience with using nature sounds in large-scale events aligned well with Owain's ideas. At the same festival, Owain also met Axel Drioli, a sound recordist planning his 'Sounding Wild' expedition to record bird migrations from Northern Europe to Western Africa.

These encounters, along with initial discussions with Welsh National Opera, led to the conception of "Wild Sounds of Wales”. The project aims to create an experience that goes beyond traditional concert halls, using VR to bring Welsh landscapes, natural sounds and orchestral music to audiences in a new way.

"Wild Sounds of Wales" is now a collaborative effort involving both new partnerships and long-standing collaborations from Owain's previous projects. The goal is to create a coalition of organisations with a shared vision for combining music, nature, sound and technology in innovative ways.

A Glimpse of a Larger Vision

The pilot project serves as a stepping stone for a larger 15-minute VR experience, which will showcase five natural habitats across Wales. Our goal is to inspire hope in the face of climate anxiety by connecting people with the wonders of the natural world, right here in Wales.

Designed for Touring & Access

Wild Sounds of Wales is designed to be a portable, pop-up experience with the core mission of taking the restorative beauty of nature to people who may not have easy access.

Its minimal-footprint setup, with the option to run fully on battery power, allows it to be installed anywhere, from a community hall to an outdoor festival or a care home.

The pilot tour will test this model by visiting Tŷ Pawb, the National Eisteddfod of Wales and Bryn Seiont Newydd Care Home. This is the first step towards a larger touring VR experience showcasing five natural habitats.

Future iterations, supported by partners, will expand this reach, with the ambition of taking the installation to urban centres, heritage sites and community centres across Wales.

The Creative Team

Owain Llwyd, Composer & Executive Producer

Owain Llwyd is supported by PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund.

Owain Llwyd is an award-winning Welsh composer, arranger and orchestrator who bridges concert music, film, and media with innovative crossover projects. His work has been performed by some of the Worlds’ top orchestras including London Concert Orchestra and WNO Orchestra and he has recorded at many of the Worlds’ top studios including Abbey Road and Air Studios. In film and media, Owain's music is heard on global networks and top-rated TV shows. Collaborations with contemporary artists, including Ministry of Sound, have earned him widespread recognition and applause.

Jacinth Latta, Producer & Director

Jacinth Latta is an award-winning wildlife filmmaker with over 25 years experience producing natural history programmes for broadcasters including Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, National Geographic and Blue Ant Media. Her work as a producer, director and writer focuses on subjects from polar bears to lemurs and sharks across global locations, from Arctic Ice to African forests and the World’s oceans. Jacinth has worked as Supervising Producer for Discovery Channel and Series Producer for Love Nature, overseeing a portfolio of 50 one-hour 4K films. She's also served as Executive Producer for BBC World, collaborating with the BBC Natural History Unit to creatively direct Sir David Attenborough's Pyramid Stage appearance at the Glastonbury Festival.

Axel Drioli, Wildlife Sound, Spatial Audio & VR App

A Golden Panda award-winning wildlife sound recordist, Axel Drioli is the founder of Sounding Wild, a project dedicated to connecting audiences with nature through immersive 3D soundscapes and VR. His work combines spatial audio design with a deep interest in soundscape ecology, ecoacoustics and animal behaviour. Axel has created spatial sound for VR, installations and broadcast, with credits including BBC Springwatch, Google x The Guardian, and Habitat XR. His directed piece Life on the Edge VR was selected for EarthXR, SXSW (finalist), and the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival. He also recorded and designed spatial audio for the Philharmonia Orchestra’s XR Sessions, combining orchestral performance with 360° film. Axel recently debuted at Glastonbury 2025, alongside Sam Lee, bringing ‘Singing with Nightingales’ to the world’s largest music and performing arts festival.

Domonic White, VR Video Production

Domonic White is a committed naturalist and a filmmaker with a strong background in immersive storytelling. He has worked on well-known feature films and TV shows, bringing over a decade of experience in 360/VR filmmaking. His immersive arts work includes projects for The Royal Opera House, The Old Vic, and the National Theatre, alongside commercial content for clients such as Porsche. Domonic was previously Head of Film at Rescape Innovation, developing therapeutic VR for NHS patients. In partnership with Shared Universe Foundation, he has directed VR and promotional films, documenting the relocation of elephants and cheetahs in South Africa. In 2018, he founded Nature’s Racers - developing VR films, school eco-twinning initiatives and digital placemaking trails to encourage biophilia. Domonic brings a rare blend of creative and technical expertise, underpinned by an unwavering passion for nature.

Partners

A Coalition for Welsh Arts, Heritage, and Nature

Wild Sounds of Wales represents a powerful coalition, bringing together Wales’ leading institutions in music, nature conservation, heritage, and community wellbeing as a collective force for positive change. It is music that has served as the catalyst, uniting this diverse group of partners with a single, shared vision: to reconnect people with the Welsh landscape and inspire hope in the face of the climate emergency.