Photo: Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Steve Reich is, to me, one of the genuine architects of modern listening. As a pioneer of minimal music, he built a language out of repetition, slow harmonic shifts and phasing canons, and described his goal as making processes perceptible. That intellectual honesty is rare. Works like Double Sextet and Eight Lines do not just entertain; they reshape how you experience time itself. The Pulitzer Prize, the Praemium Imperiale and a long list of honors only confirm what the ear already knows. I rank him among the few composers who invented something new rather than refining the old, and that originality is what I value most.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Steve Reich
- Name (Japanese)
- スティーヴ・ライヒ
- Reading
- すてぃーゔ・らいひ
- Born
- October 3, 1936 (age 89)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Rat
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / musician / videographer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Mills College at Northeastern University
Awards & achievements
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
- Guggenheim Fellowship
- 2006 Praemium Imperiale
- 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Music
- 2013 BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award
- 2016 Nemmers Prize in Music Composition
- 2016 honorary doctor of the Royal College of Music
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Variations for Vibes, Piano, and Strings | — | |
| Notable work | Daniel Variations | — | |
| Notable work | Eight Lines | — | |
| Notable work | Double Sextet | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Steve Reich born?
Born October 3, 1936 (age 89).
Where is Steve Reich from?
Steve Reich is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Steve Reich do?
Steve Reich works as composer, musician, videographer.
What is Steve Reich known for?
Notable works include Variations for Vibes, Piano, and Strings, Daniel Variations, Eight Lines.
Composer — see all → · Musician — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.