Alex Paxton
NYJC Summer School year(s): 2007
Dankworth Jazz Composition Prize 2020
London Symphony Orchestra Panufnik composer 2020
International Composition Seminar in 2019
Harriet Cohen Music Award 2018
International Society Contemporary Music 2017
Leverhulme Art Scholar 2017
Royal College of Music Composition Prize 2016
Royal Academy of Music Composition Prize 2013
Alex (1990) is a composer and improvising-trombone soloist based in the UK.
He was elected to the 9th International Composition Seminar in 2019 and awarded commission I-LOLLIPOP for Alex to perform as an improvising soloist with Ensemble Modern, premiered in Frankfurt 2020. In 2020 he was appointed a London Symphony Orchestra Panufnik composer, LSO Soundhub associate and awarded the prestigious Dankworth Jazz Composition Prize by Worshipful Company of Musicians (WCOM).
In 2019 he played and recorded his concerto OD ODY PINk’d for Jazz Trombonist and Royal National Scottish Orchestra (RSNO). His piece SPAKE represented the UK in the Orchestral section of International Society Contemporary Music (ISCM) and in 2018 Alex was awarded the Harriet Cohen Music Award. In 2017 he was a Leverhulme Art Scholar with the LPO. He has written six operas hosted by ENO and Helios Collective, Tête à Tête (BEL and the DRAGON), Second Movement Opera and the Forge. He is featured on the ListenPony Label and has 2 more albums published in 2020. He has written music for ensembles including Ensemble Modern, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra (NOW we ARE DUH DUR), HyperDuo, Dreammusics, Listen Poney, Ensemblex.y, Royal National Scottish Orchestra, Nevis Ensemble, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Making Music, Psappha, NYJO(uk) and many others.
Alex’s Dreammusics Ensemble: combines electronic sounds with leading virtuosic jazz & classical musician soloists eg: MUSIC for BOSCH PEOPLE, performances include Café Oto, Kammerklang. Alex writes music for community settings; eg post Dahl-music massed forces children’s opera NOGGIN and the WHALE, MUFFIN, and The SOUND of MAGIC. He is composer in residence at Pelican Music Service and composition tutor on the National Youth Orchestra Great Britain(NYO).
” The most enjoyable part of my practice as a musician so far is to have written notated music for a large ensemble/ orchestra and to then be able to step into the orchestra and perform as an improvising musician with in the musical world I have created. To me this feels like stepping into a large tapestry/painting and being able to feel, scratch, smell and sing within an absurd /fantastical musical world..“
Being in a small group band taught by Anders Bergcrantz. Being totally blown away and inspired by the playing of other students. Hearing Mingus’s Fables of Faubus (the faster version) for the first time”.
