John Luther Adams

John Luther Adams, born January 23, 1953, is an American composer influenced by nature and the Alaskan landscapes. Adams began as a drummer and graduated from the California Institute of the Arts in 1973. Working in environmental protection, he traveled to and moved to Alaska in 1978, where he lived until 2014. He splits his time between New York and the Sonoran desert in Mexico. His music embraces genres and media, from television and film to orchestra and electronics. Influential figures include Frank Zappa, John Cage, and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Adams's 'Become Ocean' earned him a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy. His works address sonic geography, a concept reflecting the interplay between the environment and imagination.