John Adams (composer)

John Coolidge Adams (born February 15, 1947) is an American composer of classical and operatic music. His music is generally considered minimalist or post-minimalist, although he distances himself from those terms. He is particularly known for his operas, many of which deal with contemporary American historical events.

Adams was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and raised in New England. He studied composition at Harvard University with Leon Kirchner, Roger Sessions, and Earl Kim. He moved to San Francisco in 1971 and taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for ten years.

His breakthrough piece was Shaker Loops (1978), a string quartet (later arranged for string orchestra) that demonstrates his minimalist tendencies. He gained wider recognition with Harmonium (1981), a choral work, and Grand Pianola Music (1982).

Adams's operas, often collaborations with librettist Alice Goodman and later Peter Sellars, have cemented his reputation. These include:

• Nixon in China (1987), which depicts President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China.
• The Death of Klinghoffer (1991), about the hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship.
• Doctor Atomic (2005), concerning the creation of the atomic bomb.
• Girls of the Golden West (2017), set during the California Gold Rush.

His other notable works include the orchestral pieces Short Ride in a Fast Machine (1986), El Dorado (1991), Harmonielehre (1985), and On the Transmigration of Souls (2002), a Pulitzer Prize-winning commemoration of the victims of the September 11 attacks.

Adams's musical style is characterized by its driving rhythms, lush harmonies, and the incorporation of popular and jazz influences. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the Pulitzer Prize for Music, the Erasmus Prize, and several Grammy Awards. He continues to be a prominent figure in contemporary classical music.