Scoreload

American composer and pioneer of minimalism, known for innovations in phasing, rhythmic structures, and influences from non-Western music.Born in New York City, Reich studied philosophy at Cornell University and composition at Juilliard. His early works like 'It's Gonna Rain' (1965) and 'Come Out' (1966) used tape loops to create phasing effects. Later pieces like 'Drumming' (1971) and 'Music for 18 Musicians' (1976) incorporated African and Balinese influences, establishing him as a leading figure in contemporary classical music. Reich has received two Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and numerous international honors.

• Reich's 'Four Organs' (1970) caused a riot at its Carnegie Hall premiere when audience members booed and demanded the performance stop due to its radical minimalism.
• After studying philosophy, Reich pursued drumming in Ghana and Balinese gamelan in Indonesia, profoundly shaping his rhythmic approach.
• His Jewish heritage deeply influenced later works like 'Different Trains' (1988), which contrasts Holocaust train transports with his own childhood train journeys.
• Reich survived a near-fatal bicycle accident in 1974, after which he composed the introspective 'Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ' during recovery.
• He founded his own ensemble in 1966 to perform his complex rhythmic works, as traditional orchestras initially resisted his style.