Originally from Scotland, but often based in Switzerland where he is very active, Allardyce Mallon gained his degree (BMusHons 1st class) in musicology, history and composition at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He went on to study for his Masters (MMus) in composition at the University of Surrey, England, and then to Geneva where he gained his Diploma in conducting and the Prix du Conservatoire for composition. He became very active in several musical ventures in the Geneva area, but also worked as assistant conductor at the Grand Théâtre de Genève (Billy Budd, B. Britten) and with the San Francisco Opera (Pelléas et Melisande, Debussy). Holder of the Walter Susskind Scholarship, he spent time at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow where he gained experience as a repetiteur and conductor of opera. He has given recitals with singers on Radio Suisse Romande-Espace 2 and during the Settimani Musicali in Lugano.
More recent engagements include work as repetiteur and assistant conductor at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, at the Teatro Regio in Turin and several seasons at the Festival International d’Art Lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence. He was in charge of music for the Swiss Fête des Vignerons in 1999, as well as for the Opening Ceremony of the Expo.02 in Neuchatel.
For the last four years he has worked with the Opera in Meiningen, Germany (Das Meininger Theater), and most recently with the Utah Symphony & Opera in Salt Lake City, USA, and the Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg. In addition to his work as a composer, Allardyce Mallon is (an excellent) much sought-after as an arranger and orchestrator.