Michael Gordon

Michael Gordon’s music combines subtle rhythmic ingenuity and an incredible force, which, according to Alex Ross of New Yorker, embodies “...punk-rock impulsiveness, the nervous brilliance of free-style jazz and the uncompromising nature of classical modernism.” Pieces written by Gordon for the last 25 years show striking diversity, ranging from large-format pieces to special commissions from recording studios. It is worth stressing the artist’s close cooperation with theatre and opera communities. Gordon’s music has also been widely used in dance performances. His works have been commissioned by the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the BBC Proms, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Settembre Musica, Holland Music Festival, Dresden Festival and Sydney 2000 Olympic Arts Festival. His pieces were performed in Kennedy Center, Theatre De La Ville, Barbican Centre, Oper Bonn, Kolner Philharmonie and Southbank Centre. Gordon received a number of prizes and grants, including from the Guggenheim Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts and American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1983, he founded his own band, The Michael Gordon Philharmonic, in 2000 renamed The Michael Gordon Band. He is one of the founders and artistic directors of the world-renowned musical collective, Bang on a Can.