Kester Hynds

Musician, Performer, & Educator

Projects


The Chosen Haram: Stage Show

International Tour: 2021 to 2024

I composed original music using 'cello and electronics for Sadiq Ali's award-winning circus performance stage show The Chosen Haram. The show explores themes of faith, sexuality, and addiction through dance, movement and Chinese pole using vivid and evocative music and imagery.

... Powerful, haunting music that creates and fills the voids of Ali’s painful journey...

Rosie Niven 2024, Theatre Travels (Aus)

The show premiered in London in 2021 and was followed an Edinburgh festival run and a feature slot at the London Mime Festival. The show has gone on to tour Europe and beyond.

Elevates a routine boy-meets-boy love story into something dream-like.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

Mark Fisher 2022, The Guardian

Powerful, strong and sensual work that both challenges and entertains.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Deborah Klayman 2022, The Queer Review

The Chosen Haram

Short Film: 2021

I composed and produced an original score for the short film version of The Chosen Haram.

Kester Hynds’ original compositions provide both urgency and space where needed.

Trish Lee 2023, Newbury Today

Watch the online premiere and Q&A here (film begins around 7'26") .


Richard II: Stage Show

London and Touring (2021 to 2022)

I composed and performed a suite of music for Quandary Collective's visceral post-apocalyptic production of Shakepeare's Richard II.

I also designed and built a range of instruments made from found objects and scrap.

An electronic score penned and performed by Kester Hynds combines tribal beats, synths, and strings to really create the atmosphere for this play. The musical opening, with its almost choral vocal chanting, was truly epic – it felt like something that wouldn’t be amiss in Ari Aster’s Midsommar... A thrilling electronic music score!

Charlie Tomlinson 2021, BN1 Magazine

The show toured outdoor venues in 2021 and concluded with a London residency at The Vaults in 2022.


The Cabinet of Dr Caligari LIVE

I'm currently working on a semi-improvised live score for the seminal silent 1920 horror The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.

Coming to a venue near you soon!

> Read Roger Ebert's take on this unforgettable movie.

Midnight Foxes

A small club band playing smokey jazz and blues - perfect for adding a sultry, sexy, and sophisticated vibe to special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, or dinner events.

 

Music Videos

A few commercial music videos featuring me playing cello.

Turn On The Light (Official Video) - KUMI

I'm playing cello on the recording - I didn't make it into the video ;-)

Your Favorite Toy (Official Video) - KUMI

I'm playing cello on the recording - I didn't make it into the video ;-)

Fight Song - Myleene Klass

With the children and grandchildren of people with IPF #FightIPF

I Can't Control It (Live) - KUMI

Live at the Hackney Cut.

Take Off (live at BBC Maida Vale) - Cynikal

Live recording at the legendary BBC Maida Vale Studios for BBC Asian Network New Music Day.

Beautiful (live at BBC Maida Vale) - Cynikal

Live recording at the legendary BBC Maida Vale Studios for BBC Asian Network New Music Day.

Performance Videos

These are from the theatre/performance arena and feature me performing, singing or playing music.

Reverie - Daniele Ridolfi Company

A wonderful mime show with the amazing Daniele Ridolfi. I composed a live soundtrack (singing, guitar and cello) as well as providing live synchronised sound FX to accompany the choreographed movement.

The Dragon - Lost Cause

I co-devised and co-directed this 1 hour physical theatre show "The Dragon" with my company Lost Cause. That's me in the tights.