{{short description|American composer and musician|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox musical artist | name = Tyondai Braxton | image = Tyondai Braxton E5100788.jpg | landscape = yes | caption = Braxton, 2008 | background = non_performing_personnel <!-- composer --> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|10|26}} | birth_place = New York City, New York, United States | birth_name = Tyondai Adaien Braxton | genre = Avant-garde, contemporary classical, experimental rock | occupation = Musician | years_active = 1998–present | label = Warp, Nonesuch | associated_acts = {{hlist|Battles|Parts & Labor}} | website = {{URL|tyondaibraxton.com}} }} thumb|Braxton performing at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, 2012 thumb|300px|Tyondai Braxton & the Wordless Music Orchestra perform ''Central Market'' at Alice Tully Hall 2011 thumb|300px|Tyondai Braxton with Battles, Moers Festival 2008
'''Tyondai Adaien Braxton''' (born October 26, 1978) is an American composer and musician.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Beaumont-Thomas |first1=Ben |title=Composer Tyondai Braxton: 'I'm at war with myself. That's what the piece sounds like' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/apr/09/composer-tyondai-braxton-im-at-war-with-myself-thats-what-the-piece-sounds-like-queen-elizabeth-hall |website=The Guardian |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=9 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="2009 Time Out">{{cite web |last1=Shteamer |first1=Hank |title=Tyondai Braxton unravelled |url=https://www.timeoutdubai.com/food-drink/features/10706-tyondai-braxton-unravelled |website=Time Out Dubai |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=21 September 2009}}</ref><ref name="2014 Bomb Interview">{{cite web |last1=Vida |first1=Ben |title=Tyondai Braxton by Ben Vida |url=https://bombmagazine.org/articles/2014/10/01/tyondai-braxton/ |website=BOMB Magazine |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=1 October 2014}}</ref> He has composed and performed music under his own name and collaboratively since the mid-1990s,<ref name="2009 Time Out" /> including in the experimental rock group Battles from its formation in 2002<ref name="2007 Magnet Battles">{{cite web |last1=Barclay |first1=Michael |title=Battles: Life During Wartime |url=https://magnetmagazine.com/2007/09/17/battles-life-during-wartime/ |website=Magnet Magazine |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=17 September 2007}}</ref> until his departure from the group in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Margasak |first1=Peter |title=Former Battles front man Tyondai Braxton plays his first solo set in Chicago since 2006 |url=https://chicagoreader.com/blogs/former-battles-front-man-tyondai-braxton-plays-his-first-solo-set-in-chicago-since-2006/ |website=The Chicago Reader |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=13 July 2017}}</ref>
==Early life==
The son of avant-garde jazz composer Anthony Braxton, as a child Tyondai Braxton was exposed to the music of Warne Marsh, Paul Desmond, and John Coltrane through his father.<ref name="2015 NYT profile">{{cite web |last1=Coscarelli |first1=Joe |title=Tyondai Braxton Talks About Punk, Percussion and Dad |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/arts/music/tyondai-braxton-talks-about-punk-percussion-and-dad.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=15 May 2015}}</ref> As a teen, he took musical inspiration from alternative rock bands Nirvana and Sonic Youth, as well as punk rock.<ref name="2015 NYT profile" /> Braxton studied composition at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut where his teachers included Robert Carl, Ingram Marshall, and Ken Steen.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yarn/Wire + Peter Evans + Tyondai Braxton |url=https://issueprojectroom.org/event/yarnwire-peter-evans-tyondai-braxton |website=ISSUE Project Room |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref>
==Career==
In late 2002, Braxton co-founded Battles; he performed as the band's guitarist, keyboardist, and singer until his departure in 2010.<ref name="2007 Magnet Battles" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |title=Tyondai Braxton Leaves Battles |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/39672-tyondai-braxton-leaves-battles/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=6 August 2010}}</ref> The group received worldwide acclaim for their debut album ''Mirrored'' (2007), which was hailed by ''Time'' and ''Pitchfork'' as among the ten best records of the year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vaziri |first1=Aidin |title=Best overlooked albums of 2007 |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/best-overlooked-albums-of-2007-3299142.php |website=SFGate |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=30 December 2007}}</ref><ref name="2007 Pitchfork Best">{{cite web |title=The 50 Best Albums of 2007 |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/6753-top-50-albums-of-2007/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=17 December 2017}}</ref> The 10-month tour for the record brought the band to such venues as the Cartier Foundation Museum in Paris, the Fuji Rock Festival in Northern Japan, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia for Brian Enoʼs Luminous Festival.<ref>{{cite web |title=Philippines Benefit Concert for Typhoon Yolanda |url=https://lpr.com/lpr_events/philippines-benefit-concert-for-typhoon-yolanda-december-19th-2013/ |website=LPR |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref>
Braxton's ''Central Market'' was released worldwide by Warp Records in September 2009.<ref name="2009 NYT Central Market">{{cite web |last1=Ratliff |first1=Ben |title=Critics' Choice - New CDs - Tyondai Braxton - Review |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9404E3DC1E3FF937A2575AC0A96F9C8B63.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=14 September 2009}}</ref> The album, Braxton's second full length as a solo artist, features a large-scale orchestral score with performances by The Wordless Music Orchestra.<ref name="2009 Pitchfork Central Market">{{cite web |last1=Battaglia |first1=Andy |title=Tyondai Braxton: Central Market Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13472-central-market/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=21 September 2009}}</ref> The album's name is a nod to both Stravinsky's ''Petrushka'' (the fairytale-like bazaar that opens that ballet) and the worldwide market crash of 2008.<ref name="2009 NMUSA Interview">{{cite web |last1=Hunter |first1=Trevor |title=Tyondai Braxton: Central Market |url=https://newmusicusa.org/nmbx/tyondai-braxton-central-market/ |website=New Music USA |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=1 September 2009}}</ref>
''Central Market'' was premiered by Braxton and The Wordless Music Orchestra in the U.S at Lincoln Center,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pelly |first1=Jenn |title=Live: Tyondai Braxton And The Wordless Music Orchestra Entrance A Sea Of Turtlenecks At Lincoln Center |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/live-tyondai-braxton-and-the-wordless-music-orchestra-entrance-a-sea-of-turtlenecks-at-lincoln-center/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251021215123/https://www.villagevoice.com/live-tyondai-braxton-and-the-wordless-music-orchestra-entrance-a-sea-of-turtlenecks-at-lincoln-center/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 21, 2025 |website=The Village Voice |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=8 March 2011}}</ref> followed by performances at the Library of Congress and the Walker Arts Museum.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dombal |first1=Ryan |title=Tyondai Braxton to Tour With Orchestra |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/40311-tyondai-braxton-to-tour-with-orchestra/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=11 October 2010}}</ref> The work premiered in the U.K at Steve Reich's 2011 Reverberation Festival, Barbican Centre, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra performing,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hannah |first1=Andrew |title=Ether Festival 2012: Best Fit speaks to Tyondai Braxton |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/previews/ether-festival-2012-tyondai-braxton-111267 |website=The Line of Best Fit |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=8 October 2012}}</ref> and was adapted for ballet by Baryshnikov Art Center resident choreographer John Heginbotham.<ref>{{cite web |last1=La Rocco |first1=Claudia |title=Dance Heginbotham at the Baryshnikov Arts Center |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/14/arts/dance/dance-heginbotham-at-the-baryshnikov-arts-center.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=13 May 2012}}</ref>
In 2011, Braxton expanded his focus to an array of other commissions and performances, including a return to Alice Tully Hall to premiere ''TREMS'', a new two-movement work for Bang on a Can All Stars;<ref name="2013 Pitchfork New Work" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Greene |first1=Jayson |title=Report: Bang on a Can 25th Anniversary Concert |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/46357-report-bang-on-a-can-25th-anniversary-concert/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=1 May 2012}}</ref> the Barbican premiere of ''Uffe’s Woodshop'' for string quartet, performed by the Kronos Quartet;<ref>{{cite web |last1=Picard |first1=Anna |title=Kronos Quartet, Hackney Empire, London The Enchanted Island, Metropolitan Opera, New York / UK Cinemas/ Radio 3 |url=https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/classical/reviews/kronos-quartet-hackney-empire-london-the-enchanted-island-metropolitan-opera-new-york-uk-cinemas-radio-3-6296068.html |website=The Independent |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=28 January 2012}}</ref> and a duo with seminal composer Philip Glass for the New York edition of the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jarnow |first1=Jesse |title=Tyondai Braxton On His ATP Collaboration With Philip Glass |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/tyondai-braxton-on-his-atp-collaboration-with-philip-glass/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250520034133/https://www.villagevoice.com/tyondai-braxton-on-his-atp-collaboration-with-philip-glass/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 20, 2025 |website=The Village Voice |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=20 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=All Tomorrow's Parties 2012: Live photos |url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/music/all-tomorrows-parties-2012-live-photos-slide-show-rock-pop-hip-hop |website=Time Out New York |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=7 June 2016}}</ref> ''Central Market'' was then performed by the London Sinfonietta and Wordless Music Group at Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre in London.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ether Festival - Tyondai Braxton and London Sinfonietta at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London |url=https://ra.co/events/411341 |website=Resident Advisor |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref>
In 2013, Alarm Will Sound premiered Braxton’s piece for chamber orchestra and electronics, ''Fly by Wire'', commissioned by and performed at Carnegie Hall.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Steve |title=Alarm Will Sound, at Zankel Hall |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/09/arts/music/alarm-will-sound-at-zankel-hall.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=8 April 2013}}</ref> ''Central Market'' was performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Hall, and the world premiere of ''HIVE'' (a multimedia composition for two modular synthesizers players and three percussionists on five large wooden pods) appeared at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, commissioned by Works & Process at the Guggenheim.<ref name="2013 Pitchfork New Work">{{cite web |last1=Pelly |first1=Jenn |title=Tyondai Braxton to Debut New Work This Spring, Including Multimedia HIVE Piece |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/49061-tyondai-braxton-to-debut-new-work-this-spring-including-multimedia-hive-piece/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=7 January 2013}}</ref><ref name="2014 Bomb Interview" /> HIVE was then premiered in Europe in Kraków, Poland at the Sacrum Profanum festival.<ref name="2014 Bomb Interview" />
In early 2014, Braxton collaborated with the electronic music pioneers Mouse on Mars, performing a new version of ''In C'' by the American composer Terry Riley as a part of the Stargaze festival in Berlin, Germany at the Volksbühne.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gwilliam |first1=Alex |title=STARGAZE FESTIVAL |url=https://crackmagazine.net/article/news/stargaze-festival/ |website=Crack Magazine |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=25 February 2014}}</ref> HIVE premiered in Australia at MONA FOMA in Hobart, Tasmania and at The Sydney Opera House in Sydney Australia, as a part of Sydney Festival.<ref name="2014 Bomb Interview" />
In the summer of 2014, Drum Corps International's Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps included Braxton's compositions ''Uffe's Woodshop'' and ''Platinum Rows'' in their second place musical program, ''TILT''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=David |title=REVIEW: Drum Corps International’s Drums Across the Tri-State |url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/arts__entertainment/review-drum-corps-international-s-drums-across-the-tri-state/article_cb6762cf-6a36-558e-8e47-d9146921d80c.html |website=Charleston Gazette-Mail |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=29 July 2014}}</ref>
In 2015, Braxton released ''HIVE1'', his first solo album in six years and his first on Nonesuch Records.<ref name="2015 Pitchfork HIVE1">{{cite web |last1=Walls |first1=Seth Colter |title=Tyondai Braxton: HIVE1 Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20462-hive1/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=12 May 2015}}</ref> Written and recorded throughout 2013 and 2014, the recording comprises eight pieces that were originally conceived for a performance work called HIVE that debuted at New York’s Guggenheim Museum in 2013.<ref name="2015 Pitchfork HIVE1" /> ''Oranged Out E.P'', comprising music from the ''HIVE1'' recordings, followed in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Yoo |first1=Noah |title=Tyondai Braxton Announces New EP to Benefit Gun Safety Organization |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/66338-tyondai-braxton-announces-new-ep-to-benefit-gun-safety-organization/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=23 June 2016}}</ref>
In 2018 Braxton premiered ''Telekinesis'' a piece for electric guitars, orchestra, choir and electronics at Queen Elizabeth Hall at South Bank in London with the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tyondai Braxton TELEKINESIS - BBC Concert Orchestra |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e2frn3 |website=BBC |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref> It was performed in 2019 in Helsinki, Finland at the Helsinki Music Center with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tyondai Braxton — Mills Music Now |url=https://performingarts.oakland.northeastern.edu/event-detail/?eventId=1183397753 |website=Mills Performing Arts |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref>
In 2022, Braxton released ''Telekinesis'', the studio recording of his piece for electric guitars, orchestra, choir and electronics on Nonesuch.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lovdahl |first1=Ian |title=Tyondai Braxton - Telekinesis (Self-Released, 2022) |url=https://www.freejazzblog.org/2023/02/tyondai-braxton-telekinesis-self.html |website=The Free Jazz Collective |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=24 February 2023}}</ref> In fall 2022, Braxton joined the faculty of the music department at Princeton University.<ref>{{cite web |title=Faculty Appointments: Tyondai Braxton & Nathalie Joachim |url=https://music.princeton.edu/faculty-appointments-tyondai-braxton-nathalie-joachim/ |website=Princeton University Department of Music |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=8 July 2022}}</ref>
==Recorded work==
*''Death Slug 2000''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://braxtonmatis.bandcamp.com/album/death-slug-2000 |title=Death Slug 2000 | Tyondai Braxton and Jonathan Matis |publisher=Braxtonmatis.bandcamp.com |date= |accessdate=2015-06-11}}</ref> (2000) – with Jonathan Matis *''History That Has No Effect'' (2002), JMZ *''Rise, Rise, Rise'' (2003), Narnack – split LP with Parts & Labor *''Central Market'' (2009), Warp *''Casino Trem'' (2015) featured on Bang on a Can ''Field Recordings'' Cantaloupe Music *''HIVE1'' (2015), Nonesuch *''Oranged Out E.P'' (2016), Beatink Records *''Music for Ensemble & Pitchshifter Delay'' (2017) featured on Yarn/Wire ''Currents 0'' *''ArpRec1'' (2017) featured on Brooklyn Rider ''Spontaneous Symbols'' In A Circle Records *''Telekinesis'' (2022) Nonesuch *''Vacancy'' (2022) featured on Stargaze ''One'' Transgressive Records *''Sunny X'' (2023) Cedille Records
===With Battles=== {{main|Battles (band)}} *''EP C'' (Monitor Records; June 8, 2004) *''B EP'' (Dim Mak Records; September 14, 2004) *''EPC'' (Japan only special mix edition; Dotlinecircle; October 2004) *''EP C/B EP'' (Warp Records); February 6, 2006) *''Mirrored'' (Warp Records); May 14, 2007) *''Lives'' (Limited edition CD; Beat Records; September 27, 2007) *''Tonto+'' (Warp Records; October 22, 2007) *''Warp20 (Chosen)'' (Warp Records; September 29, 2009) *''Twilight Saga: Eclipse OST'' (On "The Line"; Chop Shop Records; June 8, 2010)
===Collaborations=== *''Dirty Projectors'' (Domino Records; February 21, 2017) *''Rubric Remix'' (appears on ''Rework Philip Glass Remixed''; Orange Mountain Music; October 23, 2012)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://nymag.com/arts/classicaldance/classical/reviews/new-composers-davidson-review-2011-3/ New Composers Davidson Review March 2011] New York Magazine on the "New New York School" of Composers *{{musicbrainz artist|name=Tyondai Braxton|id=9b771025-f34d-4dbf-a313-c46495ef5505}} *[https://www.theonion.com/temp-hides-fun-fulfilling-life-from-rest-of-office-1819566599 Temp Hides Fun, Fulfilling Life From Rest Of Office] Satirical Onion piece, featuring Ty as an intern
{{Battles}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Braxton, Tyondai}} Category:American male classical composers Category:American classical composers Category:American experimental composers Category:University of Hartford Hartt School alumni Category:American experimental guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:Living people Category:1978 births Category:Warp Records artists Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:Battles (band) members Category:Dirty Projectors members Category:20th-century American composers Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:Composers from New York City