Kriton Beyer is a Greek-German musician and composer, who – as a performer and improviser – mainly works with the harmonium and the daxophone. He studied musicology in Greece where he collaborated with a variety of local music groups as well as musicians like Sakis Papadimitriou and Floros Floridis.
In 2004 he moved to Berlin, where he got heavily involved in the improvised music scene of the city.
Since then he has worked with many musicians like Phil Minton, Audrey Chen, Steve Noble, Kalle Kalima, Axel Dörner, Kresten Osgood, Tristan Honsinger, Tomomi Adachi, Richard Scott, Willi Kellers, Matthias Bauer, Antonis Anissegos, Olaf Rupp, Els Vandeweyer, Harri Sjöström, Nicola Hein and Liz Allbee, dancers like Yuko Kaseki and visual artists like Akiko Nakayama. Kriton Beyer is a member of the electroacoustic trio “uproot”, the ensembles “Redox Reaction”, “AEAEA” and the “Berlin Soundpainting Orchestra”.

In his work with the harmonium, Kriton Beyer uses both the natural sound of his instrument and “traditional” playing techniques as well as preparations, objects and extended techniques, while his daxophone play is characterized by a very personal musical and sonic aesthetic, and an unconventional technique, sometimes also supported by the subtle use of electronics. As an improvising musician, he has performed throughout Europe. His compositions are usually characterized by conceptualism, while some of his more recent work focuses on pattern formation of sonic events in time continua.

Kriton Beyer has also conceived and commissioned the music software CinePrompt®, which was specially developed for the use for live musical performance and live recording to films.

Kriton Beyer curates, produces, promotes and organizes various events and projects.

As a promoter, Kriton Beyer organizes among others the Berlin edition of the CREATIVE SOURCES FESTIVAL, an international festival of Improvised and Experimental Music, taking place every June at the venue of Kühlspot Social Club with over 70 musicians participating from all over the world, which is connected to the Portuguese record label Creative Sources Recordings.

As a curator he hosts the performance series AUDIOVISUAL VENTURES @ THE KÜHLSPOT SOCIAL CLUB which is dedicated to Realtime Visual Performance and Improvised Music. The series explores a wide range of different styles and techniques of visual live performance and video art, ranging from VJing to live-painting, live-drawing, live-animation or live-film. In each performance one visual artist is invited to perform with an ensemble of improvising musicians.

Kriton Beyer also curates and manages the concert series and record label THE PROCRUSTEAN BED, dedicated to Experimental Improvised Music. The concert series is focusing on Kriton Beyer’s artistic explorations, inviting intriguing new guests to take on the creative challenge together with him.