Happy birthday in advance to composer Philip Glass, who turns 80 this coming Tuesday. Among the celebratory events around the world this concert season is a BBC Total Immersion Day, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 from the Barbican in London this Saturday. NPR Music is marking Glass's milestone birthday with personal reflections from artists who have collaborated with the composer, including Laurie Anderson and Nico Muhly.
Happy birthday in advance to Philip Glass, who turns 80 on Tuesday. Among the celebratory events this concert season is a full weekend of events at the Barbican Centre in London, including a BBC Total Immersion Day of concerts, talks, and film screenings on Saturday. BBC Radio 3 will be covering the events live and has made Glass its Composer of the Week. He is on the cover of the new issue of BBC Music Magazine, which includes four past Nonesuch releases—Einstein on the Beach, Kronos Quartet Performs Philip Glass, Philip on Film, and Glass Box—among his "10 Essential Recordings." Later this season, pianist/composer Timo Andres will take part in a performance of Philip Glass's Music in Twelve Parts at the Barbican on May 1, and Laurie Anderson will join Glass for the UK premiere of their "An Evening with" program at the Barbican on May 17 and Norwich Theatre Royal on May 19.
Glass "has been one of the dominant, boundary-crossing influences of the past half century," says the Guardian's Observer in a new interview with the composer ahead of this weekend's celebrations. Read what he has to say at theguardian.com.
NPR Music is marking Glass's milestone birthday by asking artists who have collaborated with him over the years to offer their reflections on the composer. Nico Muhly writes about discovering the "achingly beautiful" Music in Twelve Parts, and Laurie Anderson talks about discovering "new ways to breathe" through a Glass etude. Also participating are Errol Morris, Paul Simon, and David Lang. You can read their contributions at npr.org.
On his 80th birthday, January 31, Glass’s Symphony No. 11 will receive its world premiere at Carnegie Hall as part of an all-Glass program. Carolina Performing Arts at UNC Chapel Hill presents Glass at 80, a celebration of his work and its impact on music and intellectual life with performances from artists including Kronos Quartet, Laurie Anderson, and Timo Andres, February 1–10. Anderson will also take part in the 2017 edition of the annual Tibet House Benefit Concert, which will be dedicated to Glass's birthday, at Carnegie Hall on March 16.
For all of the latest on all things Philip Glass at 80, visit philipglass.com.
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