Post your questions for composer Steve Reich
At the age of 88, Steve Reich has had a long lifetime of artistic brilliance, harnessing power through repetition and minimalism – and as he releases a career-spanning box set, he will be answering your questions.
Born in 1936, Reich (pronounced 'rysh') is one of the greatest living American composers, who after passing through a series of esteemed colleges – Cornell, Juilliard, Mills – began producing a series of works from the mid 1960s onwards that were methodical, even mathematical in their arrangements, but which became transcendent experiences for audiences.
Initially using sampled speech, simple instruments and handclaps, he moved towards composing large ensemble works, and expanded his vision to encompass other countries and cultures such as those of Ghana and Bali. His Jewish heritage informed Tehillim, which set Jewish scripture to music, and his unforgettable work Different Trains, which reflected on the Holocaust. His native New York was also a big influence, from the playful New York Counterpoint to his chilling September 11 piece, WTC 9/11.
Along the way he has been embraced by the classical establishment while also being a huge influence on rock and dance music. He won the Pulitzer prize for his work Double Sextet and collaborated with greats outside music, from choreographer Alvin Ailey to visual artist Gerhard Richter.
His impressive body of work is now being collected by his longtime label Nonesuch into Steve Reich Collected Works, a 27-disc box set ranging from 1965's It's Gonna Rain to first recordings of his two latest works: Jacob's Ladder (2023) and Traveler's Prayer (2020).
Ahead of the release on 14 March, Reich will be joining us to answer your questions about his life and work. Post them in the comments below before 6pm GMT on Thursday 6 March. His answers will be published on 21 March.
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