US composer Steve Reich has won the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Contemporary Music category.
Known for his minimalist style, the awards jury said Reich had developed ‘a new concept of music, based on the use of realist elements from the realm of daily life and others drawn from the traditional music of Africa and Asia’.
The jury also praised Reich’s engagement with global affairs, from 9/11 to the Israeli-Palestine conflict.
The jury comprised of experts in the contemporary music field, including chair Philippe Albèra, director of Éditions Contrechamps and Ranko Markovic, artistic director of the Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität.