“The composer Steve Reich has won the 2013 BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award for contemporary composition, Mr. Reich’s publisher, Boosey & Hawkes, announced on Tuesday,” writes Allan Kozinn in Tuesday’s (2/11) New York Times. “The award, which is given by a foundation associated with a Spanish financial services group, carries a cash prize of 400,000 euros (about $550,000), and is to be presented at a ceremony in June. The jury citation for the award noted that Mr. Reich, 77, has ‘carved out new paths, fostering a dialogue between popular and high culture and between Western modernity and non-European traditions, and achieving a rich combination of complexity and transparency.’ The jury also praised Mr. Reich’s engagement in his music with thorny global issues, including the Sept. 11 attacks, and philosophical ones, like the relationship between faith, science and technology. Last year, the award was given to Pierre Boulez. Previous recipients include Salvatore Sciarrino, Helmut Lachenmann and Cristóbal Halffter. The contemporary music prize is one of eight that the foundation presents annually, including awards in the sciences, communication and economics.”
Posted February 12, 2014
