Stephen Steve Michael Reich (born October 3, 1936 in New York City) is an American composer widely recognized as a pioneer of minimal music (minimalism). Reich grew up in New York, the son of an attorney and a singer-lyricist. After completing a degree in philosophy at Cornell University, he turned to music, studying composition at the Juilliard School and earning a master’s degree from Mills College, where he worked with notable composers such as Darius Milhaud and Luciano Berio.
In the mid-1960s, Reich emerged with innovative works that helped define minimalism- a style built on repetition, phased patterns, and gradual change. His early experiments with tape loops, such as It’s Gonna Rain (1965) and Come Out (1966), created interlocking rhythmic structures and explored sound as process. Reich’s compositions often draw on diverse influences, including African drumming, Balinese gamelan, jazz rhythms, and, later in his career, elements of his Jewish heritage. Notable works include Drumming (1971), Clapping Music (1972), and the large-scale Music for 18 Musicians (1976), which remains one of his most celebrated pieces.
In the 1980s and beyond, Reich expanded his palette to include vocal music and tape-driven narratives. The Holocaust- inspired Different Trains (1988) integrates speech recordings with string quartet, winning wide acclaim, and later works such as Tehillim (1981) reflect spiritual and cultural themes.
Throughout his career, Reich has received numerous honors, including Grammy Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Music, and international recognition as one of the most influential composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. His rhythmic innovations have reshaped not only contemporary classical music but also influenced electronic, rock, and experimental artists worldwide.
See also the project on our website: Translating Tropes (and Psalmodies): New Sources on Steve Reich’s Ethnographic Imports