ALAIN MIDDLETON was born in Paris, France, and has a dual British and French  citizenship. He now permanently lives and work in connecticut, USA.

He studied the piano and composed from the age of ten. After attending the conservatory  and GRM in Paris, Alain Middleton studied composition, orchestration and analysis at Columbia University in New York City  where he completed a Doctorate (Ph.D) in Music (Composition, orchestration with Prof. Jacques Monod, Pr. Fred Lerdhal, and theory, analysis with Prof. Patricia Carpenter, a student of Arnold Schoenberg).

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, bridged with  western traditional and contemporary modern idioms.

This musical syntax has been called by the composer "Polyrhythmic Modes". His syntax reconciles modern idioms of contemporary music and New Music, with western or global traditional music archetypes and psycho-acoustic roots. The syntax explores and unfolds the collective musical unconscious. 

Active in New York and in Paris since the 80s (the composer lived 15 years in New York City and 20 years in Paris), Alain Middleton has contributed to the avant garde New Music scene with concerts and recordings. His compositions have been extensively 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, Edimburg New Music Festival, Scotland. 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 at time through collaborations with visual artists: Blum Helman Gallery, Artist Space, New York City, with Edda Renouf at the Kunsthalle Karlsruhe, Germany, Daniel Dezeuze, Annecy Museum,  France, Alain Kirili, New York City and Paris. 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, "Resonance", 2012. "Music in Klezmer Modes", 2017, is now released on DVD.

The compositions presented on this website are recent ensemble and chamber music. The composer is also working on orchestral symphonic projects. Currently a fourth 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. "Tension-Release", an original concept, was developed by the composer in his doctoral research at Columbia University. With open synthetic modes and polyrhythms, it is at the core of his "Polyrhythmic Modes" New Music syntax.

Alain Middleton lived previously in Paris and New York City. He now permanently lives and composes in Connecticut, USA, with his wife, artist Edda Renouf.

                           © Copyight Alain Middleton 2019