The mechanics of structure may be invisible to the observer, but the beauty of its effect is not. Emlyn's approach to composition is closely aligned with the processes, strategies, and sensibilities of architecture.

His Cube Matrix, an analytical study exploring the symmetrical music matrix and its relationship to the surfaces of a three-dimensional object, led him to study musical structures that exist within number systems and geometry. In 2002 Emlyn collaborated with Thomas Viall to develop the libretto and score for Helia Rising, an opera exploring the people and events leading to the discovery of the nuclear chain reaction and the development of the first atomic bomb.

He is currently developing a "constructivist" compositional model which explores the logic, integrity, and structural symmetry of music that is rooted in theoretical constructs.

Emlyn was born in 1972 in Somerset West, South Africa and emigrated to the United States in 1990. He began his studies in music at Glendale Community College and received a Bachelor of Music degree in music theory and composition from the Arizona State University School of Music in 1995. Emlyn completed his graduate studies in music composition and new media at the California Institute of the Arts in 1998.

Emlyn lives in Providence, Rhode Island.