Awarded the 6th BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Music and Opera, composer Steve Reich reflects in this interview on the evolution of his work and the impact of minimalism on contemporary music. Reich explains how repetition, rhythm, phasing, and the incorporation of everyday sounds shaped a unique musical language that transformed 20th-century composition. He also reflects on his influences, the importance of active listening, and collaboration with specialized performers and ensembles. His account offers an intimate look at the creative process of one of the essential figures in contemporary music, whose work has influenced generations of composers and performers worldwide.
The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Laureate in the Contemporary Music category goes in this sixth edition to U.S. composer Steve Reich for bringing forth a new conception of music, based on the u
Awarded the 6th BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Music and Opera, composer Steve Reich reflects in this interview on the evolution of his work and the impact of minimalism on contemporary music. Reich explains how repetition, rhythm, phasing, and the incorporation of everyday sounds shaped a unique musical language that transformed 20th-century composition. He also reflects on his influences, the importance of active listening, and collaboration with specialized performers and ensembles. His account offers an intimate look at the creative process of one of the essential figures in contemporary music, whose work has influenced generations of composers and performers worldwide.
The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Laureate in the Contemporary Music category goes in this sixth edition to U.S. composer Steve Reich for bringing forth a new conception of music, based on the use of realist elements from the realm of daily life and others drawn from the traditional music of Africa and Asia.
00:00 Introduction
00:05 The jury has highlighted how you have incorporated elements of everyday life from traditional African and Asian music into your work. What sparked your interest in these musical traditions?
00:41 You are regarded as one of the leading representatives of contemporary American music. What are its main characteristics, and what distinguishes it from contemporary European music?
01:17 Can music be considered a universal language?
01:33 The jury has emphasized that you have brought classical music to a new and broader audience. How has audiences’ reception of your music evolved throughout your career in different countries such as the United States, Europe, or Japan?
02:08 The jury has also recognized that you have reinvented concert programs and formats by using new technologies. What were you seeking with these new approaches?
