Born in New York in 1936, he studied composition with Hall Overton and, from 1958 until 1961, at the Juilliard School with William Bergsma and Vincent Persichetti. He enrolled in courses with Darius Milhaud and Luciano Berio, obtaining his master’s degree in music in 1963. In 1970, a grant from the Institute of International Education enabled Steve Reich to enroll in percussion courses at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana in Accra. In 1973 and 1974, he practiced the technique of Balanese gamelan Semar Pegulingan and Gambang, at the American Society for Eastern Arts in Seattle and Berkeley. In 1966, Steve Reich founded his ensemble, which grew rapidly from 3 to 18 musicians and more. Between 1971 and 1990, the ensemble Steve Reich & Musicians toured the world and played to sold out venues at places as different as Carnegie Hall and the cabaret, Bottom Line. In 1990, Steve Reich received the Grammy Award for best contemporary composition for Different Trains, recorded by the Kronos Quartet. Through the years, Steve Reich has received commissions from the great international musical institutions. His works, played by the most renowned orchestras, have also been choreographed. Numerous grants have been awarded to him. In 1994, Steve Reich became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Steve Reich is one of the leaders of the minimalist.
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