Award-winning composer and jazz trombonist hailed as “a monster improviser” (Bandcamp), Alex Paxton was born in 1990 and studied at the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music. He also performs concerto-like pieces of his own with WDR Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Modern, London Sinfonietta, Asko|Schönberg, Riot Ensemble, Ensemble Klang, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, ensemble x.y., and others. BBC Music Magazine praised him as “secretly one of the greatest trombone players in the world.” He is the founder of Dreammusics ensemble and performs regularly with pioneering improvisers (such as Charlotte Keeffe and Steve Noble). Alex is an endorsed solo artist with Michael Rath Trombones.
As a composer, “Paxton is a system-crasher of genre, who merges jamming video game soundtracks, musical overtures, virtuoso chamber music and jazz improv into an unmistakable style… highly complex, sophisticated and extremely entertaining, virtuoso ad absurdum” (Neue Zeitschrift für Musik).
His music is “meticulously scored… seems to change with every bar, enfolding bite-size pieces of classic minimalism, brass band tradition, electronic noise, and video game plasticity… intensely virtuosic and giddily joyful” (Bandcamp Daily Best Contemporary Classical). His works are frequently performed internationally by many of the world’s leading orchestras, ensembles and festivals, including London Symphony Orchestra, WDR Symphony, NDR Elbphilharmonie, Ensemble Modern, Klangforum Wien, London Sinfonietta, Asko|Schönberg, Remix Ensemble, Riot Ensemble, Explore Ensemble, loadbang, SiTron – Sinfonietta Trondheim, Ensemble Klang, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Scottish National, National Youth Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony, Nouvel Ensemble Contemporain, NDR Big Band, WDR Big Band, Hyper Duo, National Youth Jazz (UK), Listenpony, BBCProms, Bang on a Can Long Play, Festival d’Automne in Paris, MaerzMusik, Gaudeamus, ECLAT, Impuls Graz, NOW! Essen, Klangspuren Schwaz, Kammer Klang, Making Music (UK), and Aldeburgh Festival. He has written six operas hosted by English National Opera and Helios Collective, Tête à Tête opera festival, and Second Movement Opera. Alex has also written extensively for musicians in community settings, including innovative writing for young instrumentalists and singers in a post-Roald Dahl world of new music, such as Noggin and the Whale (massed forces including 500 young instrumentalists and singers), Fly Like a Kitchen,Muffin, Pudding Tummy, and The Smelling Test. His music has been awarded an Ivor Novello, Paul Hindemith Prize, Ernst von Siemens Composer Prize, Elbphilharmonie’s ClaussenSimon Composition Prize, Royal Philharmonic Society Prize, Dankworth Jazz Prize, Leverhulme Trust Arts Scholarship with London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Harriet Cohen Memorial Music Award. He has released three critically acclaimed albums as well as many smaller releases, all widely reviewed and featured in the UK, USA and Europe. Alex is also a commissioned contributor to John Zorn’s Arcana X (2021).
Alex Paxton is a professor of composition at London’s Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. He has worked as lead-composition tutor (and workshop leader) on the National Youth Orchestra. He has taught composition and improvisation at conservatories including the Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Royal College of Music, Royal Conservatoire in the Hague, as well as multiple universities.
Selected works: Windmill Woman for chorus and orchestra / piano (2013), The Equivocal Harriet Bowdler, opera with improvisation (2014), Bel and the Dragon, opera (2016), For the Love of Thorstein Shiver, opera (2016), Now We Are Duh-Dur for symphony orchestra (2016–17), Noggin & the Whale, community opera (2018), The Smelling Test for large children’s orchestra (2018), Od Ody Pink’d for symphony orchestra and jazz musician (2019), Corn-Crack Dreams for trombone, drumkit and sampler / keyboards (2021), Music For Bosch People for ensemble / quartet and electronics (2021), Car-Pig for keyboards (2021), iLolli-Pop for ensemble with improvising soloist (2022), Levels of Affection for orchestra with optional improvising soloist (2022), Candyfolk Space-Drum for sinfonietta with improvising trombonist and untrained children’s choir (2022), Meany for sinfonietta, jazz drums, electric bass, jazz vocalist and optional improvising soloist (2022), Haslingfield Tapestry for adult SATB choir, children’s choir, string orchestra, organ, keyboards and improviser (2022), Just Gum Friends for amplified harpsichord, percussion and electronics (2023), Sweet Wishes for orchestra (2023), More Classical Music, open score for symphony orchestra (2023), DADD’S Fairies for piccolo oboe and three violins (2023), Twochant for flute and clarinet (2023), New Work for Riot Ensemble (2023), Water Butt: Snorkel Lovers for saxophone and accordion (2024), Apocalypse Flower for trombone (2024), Scrunchy Touch Sweetly to Fall for ensemble and electronics (2024), Big Gay Cartoon Machine for trombone, drum kit and piano (2025), How to Eat Your Sexuality for voices, ensemble and electronics (2025), Rainy Wet Hair, Breath Share (How to Eat Your Sexuality – Part II) for ensemble (2025), Don’t Leave Me Behind for ensemble (2025), Bunny for ensemble and big band (2025), World Builder Creature for symphony orchestra (2025), Wrinkly Skin Microscopic zoom in for string orchestra (2026).