Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

March 28, 1930 in Ann Arbor, MI

Death

:

March 3, 2014 in New York City, NY

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

Robert Ashley was an American composer, performer, and writer who was born on March 28, 1930, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was one of the most influential figures in the world of contemporary classical music, known for his innovative and experimental approach to composition and performance. Ashley grew up in a musical family, and he began playing the piano at a young age. He studied music at the University of Michigan, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1952. After graduation, he moved to New York City, where he became involved in the avant-garde music scene. In the 1960s, Ashley began experimenting with electronic music, using tape recorders and other electronic devices to create new sounds and textures. He also began incorporating spoken word and other forms of performance art into his compositions, creating a unique and groundbreaking style that would come to be known as "opera for television." One of Ashley's most famous works is "Perfect Lives," a seven-part opera that was first broadcast on television in 1983. The opera tells the story of a group of people living in a small town in the American Midwest, and it features a mix of spoken word, singing, and electronic music. "Perfect Lives" was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish Ashley as one of the leading figures in contemporary classical music. Over the course of his career, Ashley received numerous awards and honors for his work. In 1991, he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, and in 1999, he was awarded the John Cage Award for Music from the Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts. He was also a recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Music Award, the ASCAP Foundation's Deems Taylor Award, and the NEA Lifetime Achievement Award. Ashley continued to compose and perform until his death on March 3, 2014, at the age of 83. His legacy lives on through his music, which continues to inspire and influence musicians and composers around the world.

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