Musician's Rhythm: Choreographers Reveal Hidden Beat

Musician Alex Weston finds revelation in how choreographers reinterpret his music, highlighting the divergence between strict musical notation and embodied rhythmic perception. He notes that while composers grapple with fitting music into precise bar lines, dancers often experience these same musical phrases as larger, more intuitive counts, developing an 'invisible form of notation' through their physical practice.

Weston's experience, particularly his collaborations with choreographers like Benjamin Millepied, has deepened his appreciation for musical structure and phrasing. He acknowledges that choreographers possess a physical instinct for larger musical shapes that can sometimes elude composers focused on minute details. This symbiotic relationship allows for the discovery of new sonic and narrative dimensions within his compositions.

As three of his works are presented with new choreography by Michael Keegan-Dolan, Maud Le Pladec, and Jules Cunningham, Weston observes how each artist imposes their unique sense of time onto the music. This process, he suggests, offers an interpretative strategy informed by the body, providing a welcome departure from purely theoretical performance practices and enriching his understanding of music's multifaceted nature.