Born: 1943, Chicago, Illinois

Idiosyncratic, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Joseph Schwantner revels in instrumental color and has written a number of popular concertos and orchestral pieces. Stylistically omnivorous, he treats serialism freely, tonality as tone rows, and rhythm and melody with an increasingly minimalist bent.

Further listening:

New Morning for the World (1982)DePreist, Oregon Symphony(Koch)

Velocities for Solo Marimba (1990); Concerto for PercussionGlennie, Slatkin, National Symphony(RCA)