Philip Glass

This 2016 painting of Philip Glass by Luis Alvarez Roure hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.

The iconic composer Philip Glass has written operas, symphonies, chamber music, theatrical and film scores, and other choral and instrumental compositions. Glass trained at the Julliard School and with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. However, he rejected traditional compositional styles after transcribing the work of sitar player Ravi Shankar into Western notation. 

Glass has been characterized as a minimalist due to his use of slowly evolving cycles of rhythmic pattern. By contrast, he defines his own work as “music with repetitive structures.” His restless exploration of musical form characterizes his compositions for solo instruments and large ensembles alike. Fond of multimedia presentations, Glass has worked with the dancer Twyla Tharp and the playwright and librettist Robert Wilson. He has received many accolades, including the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018.

This painting by Luis Alvarez Roure is a study for a larger portrait of Glass at work in his studio. -- NPG

 AR

Monogram of Luis Alvarez Roure