Philip Glass

Philip Morris Glass is an American composer and pianist whose music is closely associated with minimalism. His work is built from repetitive phrases and shifting layers, an approach he has described as “music with repetitive structures.” Glass is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century.

Born on 31 January 1937 in Baltimore, Maryland, Glass pursued formal musical training with composers and teachers including William Bergsma, Vincent Persichetti, Darius Milhaud, and Nadia Boulanger. A pivotal professional experience came in 1966, when he worked with Ravi Shankar, an encounter that altered his perspective on composition and contributed to the development of his mature style.

In the fall of 1968, Glass founded the Philip Glass Ensemble to perform his music. The ensemble became a central vehicle for presenting works that rely on tightly organized patterns, additive processes, and gradual change over time. In 1971, he started Chatham Square Production to release his music, reflecting an early commitment to controlling how his work was performed and distributed. His publishing has been associated with Dunvagen Music Publishers, Inc.

Glass has also been known under a range of name variants and credits, including Philip Glass, Phil Glass, and P. Glass, as well as international renderings of his name. He was married to theatre director JoAnne Akalaitis from 1965 to 1980. His catalog spans contemporary classical and related idioms, and his output has circulated through a variety of classical and independent channels, including releases associated with Orange Mountain Music and Warner Classics.