Philip Glass was born in 1937 and grew up in Baltimore. He studied mathematics and philosophy at the University of Chicago, then composition at the Juilliard School. By twenty-three, Glass had studied with Vincent Persichetti, Darius Milhaud and William Bergsma. Later he was to study in Europe with Nadia Boulanger. His work, both musically and intellectually, has had an extraordinary and unprecedented global impact.

Glass was the first composer to appeal to a very diverse audience across all generations, finding connections through the opera, the dance world, through film and popular music, and through his personal and professional associations with leading rock, pop and world music artists.

Glass has written more than twenty operas, symphonies, concerti, music for experimental theatre, soundtracks for film, ensembles and solo works; and collaborated with many influential artists including David Bowie, Woody Allen, Ravi Shankar, Paul Simon and Yo-Yo-Ma. He presents lectures, workshops, and solo keyboard performances around the world, and continues to appear regularly with the Philip Glass Ensemble.