Alain Middleton

ALAIN MIDDLETON was born in Paris, France, and has a dual British and French  citizenship.Studying the piano and composing since the age of 10,  after attending the conservatory  and GRM in Paris, Alain Middleton studied composition, orchestration and analysis at Columbia University in New York City  (Jacques Monod, Fred Lerdhal), where he completed a Doctorate (Ph.D) in Music.His work is characterized by the invention of a personal music syntax based on concepts of non western additive rhythms, polyrhythms, and synthetic open modal structures, mixed with  western traditional and modern idioms.This musical syntax has been called by the composer "polyrhythmic modes". His syntax reconciles with archetypes and the psycho-acoutic roots of music and unfolds a collective musical unconscious.Active in New York and in Paris since the 80s, Alain Middleton has contributed to the avant garde New Music scene. His compositions have been performed in Europe and the United States.Concerts include the Paris Autumn Festival (Ensemble 2E2M, Paul Mefano). The New York New Music Festival. P.S.1, New York City; F.I.A.C., Paris. Compositions were also performed by musicians of the London Symphony Orchestra, England, and of the Saint Louis orchestra, USA. The composer has also presented his music in museums and art galleries through collaborations with visual artists (Daniel Dezeuze, Annecy Museum,  France, Edda Renouf, Kunsthalle Karlsruhe, Germany. Also at Emory University  and Brown University, USA ).Recordings with Triad Record include "Caroussel", 1980, "Overtones", 1981, "Pharos", 1994, "Djembe",1995, "Polyrhythms", 1998, "Polyrhythmic Modes", 2008 , Third and Fourth Quartets, 2009.The works presented on this web site are exclusively ensemble and chamber music. The composer is also working on orchestral symphonic projects. Currently a third symphony, and an oratorio.The composer original analytical and theoritical writings on Mozart's operas ("Tension-release in the classical periodic structure") are in the Vienna Mozarteum, Austria.Bio courtesy of his website.