Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Birth

:

April 10, 1933

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Philip Corner is a renowned American composer, performer, and artist who has made significant contributions to the world of contemporary classical music. Born on April 10, 1933, in New York City, Corner grew up in a family that valued music and the arts. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist, which exposed him to classical music from an early age. Corner began his formal music education at the age of six, studying piano and composition with various teachers. He later attended Columbia University, where he studied music theory and composition with Otto Luening and Jack Beeson. During this time, he also became interested in avant-garde music and began experimenting with new forms of musical expression. In the 1960s, Corner became involved with the Fluxus movement, a group of artists and musicians who sought to break down the boundaries between art and everyday life. He collaborated with other Fluxus artists, including John Cage, Yoko Ono, and Nam June Paik, and became known for his experimental performances and compositions. One of Corner's most famous works is "Metal Meditations," a series of pieces for metal percussion instruments that he began composing in the 1960s. The pieces are characterized by their use of unconventional playing techniques and the incorporation of found objects, such as tin cans and bicycle wheels, into the performance. Corner has also composed numerous other works for a variety of instruments and ensembles, including "Gong/Ear," a piece for gong and audience participation, and "Chord," a piece for string quartet that explores the harmonic possibilities of a single chord. In addition to his work as a composer, Corner is also an accomplished performer. He has performed his own works and those of other composers around the world, including at the Venice Biennale, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Festival d'Automne in Paris. Corner has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to contemporary classical music. In 2015, he was awarded the John Cage Award by the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, which recognizes artists who have made significant contributions to the field of experimental music. He has also been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts. Throughout his career, Corner has remained committed to pushing the boundaries of classical music and exploring new forms of expression. His work has inspired countless other composers and performers and has helped to shape the course of contemporary classical music.

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