Terry Riley

Terry Riley is an American composer born in 1935 in Colfax, California. A central figure of American minimalism, his 1964 composition In C — a collection of 53 short melodic cells played in sequence by any instrumentation — became one of the most influential scores of the twentieth century. A Rainbow in Curved Air (1969) extended this approach through tape loops and keyboard improvisation. His later work integrates Indian classical music, particularly the vocal practice of Pandit Pran Nath, with whom he studied for many years. He continues to compose, perform, and collaborate internationally.