STEVE REICH 90: an exclusive concert in Vilnius for the legendary composer's jubilee

This October, one of the most important music creators of our era, Steve Reich, turns 90. In the 2026–2027 season, this anniversary will be celebrated worldwide – special programs and festivals dedicated to the icon of minimalism are being organized in Europe, the United Kingdom, North America, and Asia. A concert dedicated to S. Reich's 90th birthday will also take place in Lithuania: on October 27, the National Philharmonic will feature some of this composer's most prominent works, performed by renowned Latvian and Lithuanian percussionists Guntars Freibergs, Edgars Zaurs, Pavel Giunter, Sigitas Gailius, and acclaimed pianists Paulius Andersson and Rihards Plešanovs.

"There are just a few living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history – Steve Reich is one of them," wrote The Guardian. The New Yorker called him "the most original musical thinker of our time," and The New York Times described him as "one of the great composers of this century."

Since the 1960s, S. Reich's works "It’s Gonna Rain," "Drumming," "Music for 18 Musicians," "Tehillim," "Different Trains," and many others have contributed to the formation of a new musical aesthetic. Pulsation, repetition, and the gradual transformation of musical structures have gained special significance in his work.

S. Reich's musical ideas remain relevant to this day and extend well beyond the boundaries of classical music. The composer's work has influenced contemporary dance, visual art, theater, and popular music. The popularity of his works is also evidenced by the audiences attracted to concert halls: for example, in October 2014, S. Reich's work "Quartet" was performed in two consecutive sold-out concerts at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, shortly after the guitarist of the famous British rock band Radiohead, Jonny Greenwood, performed the composer's work "Electric Counterpoint" at the Glastonbury Festival.

S. Reich's music is particularly often heard in dance performances – his works have been chosen by many famous choreographers. Among them are world-renowned dance masters Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, Jiří Kylián, Jerome Robbins, Justin Peck, Wayne McGregor, Benjamin Millepied, and Christopher Wheeldon.

The composer's international recognition is evidenced by some of the world's most important music awards. For the work "Double Sextet," Reich won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2009, and his works and recordings have also been awarded three Grammys. The composer has received the Tokyo Praemium Imperiale, the Stockholm Polar Music Prize, the Venice Biennale Golden Lion, the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award, and the Gold Medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.