Wayne Siegel was born in Los Angeles in 1953. Most important in the way of early musical influence was the American folk music tradition (Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, etc). Major influences during the 1960's include the Afro-American blues tradition and avant garde rock (The Mothers of Invention, Captain Beefheart). From 1971 to 1974 he studied composition and philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he concerned himself mainly with the European avant garde tradition.

After three years at UCSB he decided to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree whilst studying with Per Norgard in Aarhus, Denmark. He remained in Aarhus and in 1977 he received his Danish degree in composition from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus. In 1978 he was awarded a three-year grant in composition from the Danish Art Council, working as a freelance composer in the years that followed.

After two years as administrative director of the West Jutland Symphony Orchestra and affiliated chamber ensemble, Esbjerg Ensemble, he was in 1986 appointed director of the newly founded national electronic music center, DIEM (The Danish Institute of Electroacoustic Music) in Aarhus. In 1994 he chaired the 19th International Computer Music Conference (ICMC) in Aarhus. From 1996 to 1998 he served as chairman of the two music committees of the Danish State Arts Foundation.