Howdy

I'm a freelance artist working as a sound designer, musician, and audio engineer in Frederick, Maryland and the greater DMV / wherever the wind blows me. I’m a company member at the Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) where I sound design for the main stage and children’s “fun company” shows. I am the musical director of “Off Key: And Improvised Musical” with MET comedy night. I’m a stage technician and audio engineer for multiple venues. My own set of original songs are my most cherished artistic output and what I dedicate my independent artistic voice to.

Meet Kaydin

Education and Skills

I studied at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), earning a BA in theatre design and production, as well as a music minor. My greatest proficiency is in composing music that underscores and contributes to larger work, such as plays, films, and spoken word pieces. I have an advanced technical background in sound design and audio engineering and production. I play the piano, guitar, and several woodwind instruments at a professional level, plus I can play pretty much any instrument you hand me with decent competency.

Artist’s Statement

During my time working as freelance sound designer and composer for the theatre, I found my voice as a creative collaborator and my design principles that guide me towards success. The most fulfilling projects I worked on were devised pieces and new works, where we created the show from scratch. I am also drawn to more egalitarian, ensemble based theatre making, where everyone is empowered to contribute ideas, no matter what specific role they fulfill. These styles lend themselves to a budget-friendly and eco-friendly approach to theatre making, as well. It is our responsibility as artists to carefully assess how the show can go on with limited resources and creatively repurposing what's already available. Big designs and elaborate productions have their place, but simple gestures and carefully crafted smaller works can have an even greater impact. As we face an uncertain future where natural resources run dry, supply chains fail, and costs skyrocket, it will be the clever and creative among us who are able to make profound art from scratch, so I say let's start practicing those skills now!

Personal Passion

I consider myself a dedicated personal steward to the land I live on and seek out knowledge regarding the delicate ecology of the natural world. My original music honors the cycles of nature's seasons and how they are reflected in us. We have a lot to learn from the lessons nature teaches us. I have learned to tune in to the interconnectedness of our world. I find relief from grief and strength in coping with life’s challenges. I listen with humility and I build with patience.

Photo gallery

In the news

Sept. 30 2024. From UMBC’s featured alumni page:

Four years of far-flung freelancing after graduation, Kaydin landed back home in rural Maryland with as much time spent working as a full time artist as he had spent at UMBC. His resume was strange and varied. From sound designing Shakespeare on California cliffs, to writing music while bartering with goat farmers, Kaydin’s dedication to the craft he learned at UMBC was a constant undercurrent to his artistic endeavors. Professor Adam Mendelson’s words constantly echoed in Kaydin’s head: “follow your signal path,” a platitude of troubleshooting advice for audio engineers that doubles as a mantra. One must “follow your signal path” within.

Kaydin’s work came to a halt when multiple health concerns coalesced and asked him to come home and recover, his “signal path” rerouted. Physical therapy would need to be tended to every day for at least a year, which coincided with the choice to base himself in Frederick in both his career and personal life. The Maryland Ensemble Theatre had been an artistic home to Kaydin since early days of his freelance career, and the Weinberg Center for the Arts was hiring stage technicians to work shows at both the Weinberg and New Spire Arts. These three theatres occupy a single block of Patrick street in the heart of Downtown Frederick. Kaydin’s integration into the Frederick’s arts and entertainment district has proven mutually beneficial. “I fulfill an important niche of the artistic ecosystem here, and I’m really proud to say that what I learned at UMBC informs my artistic and technical work every day. I can fall back on my instincts knowing that they are coming from my education and I can trust them,” Kaydin says about his work downtown.

Kaydin Hamby is company member at the Maryland Ensemble Theatre. Past MET credits include Sense and Sensibility, The Three Swingin’ Little Pigs, Angels in America Parts 1 & 2, Revolutionists, Meteor Shower, Admissions, Circle Mirror Transformation (Sound Designer), Head Over Heels (Guitar 1), Christmas Carol, The Tempest (Audio Engineer). Kaydin is the musical director of MET Comedy Night’s “Off Key: An Improvised Musical” where he provides guitar accompaniment for a group of improv performers (and a drummer!) to sing along to, which Kaydin describes as “basically the improv version of sound design.” His work as a stage technician and audio engineer at the Weinberg and New Spire Arts is ever-changing and demands close attention to detail. Kaydin knows that “a piece of genius forethought during load-in might save the show later that evening.” Kaydin can be heard around town with his guitar, writing his own music, practicing for Off Key, coming up with ideas for sound designs, or just taking a break from the noise.