“When the pulse of Torben Sylvest’s music begins to change, a spirit of rebellion stirs.”
Judith Mackrell
Torben Sylvest is a music producer and composer creating original scores for dance theatre and film.
Torben’s unique musical voice grows out of his passion for building worlds and collaborating with innovative and powerful artists.
Self-taught during his teens, Torben left his home town of Andover at 19 and moved to South London, where he became involved in the local dance community. He is now a leading figure in UK Hip Hop dance theatre with internationally touring works and a list of collaborators that include some of the most exciting choreographers and companies working in dance today such as: Nederlands Dance Theatre, Ivan Michael Blackstock, James Cousins, Scottish Dance Theatre, National Youth Dance Company, Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, Kwame Asajo-Adjei, Matthew Robinson (National Dance Company Wales).
Torben has scored extensively for Botis Seva, whose collaboration ‘BLKDOG’ won the 2019 Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production. He also worked with Botis Seva to produce a number of short films including Vimeo ‘Inside The Blind Iris’ with director Douglas Bernardt (2023) and ‘CAN’T KILL US ALL’, commissioned for BBC Arts (2020).
Most recently, his collaboration with Ivan Michael Blackstock ’Traplord’ won the 2023 Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production.
Torben has also worked with a number of London-based vocal artists, producing the break out single ‘Creeping’ for the critically acclaimed Obongjayar.