Charles Wuorinen is truly an American Icon. In 1970, he became the youngest composer to win the Pulitzer Prize, for the electronic work Time's Encomium. The Pulitzer and the MacArthur Fellowship are just two among many awards, fellowships and other honors to have come his way. In 1984 Wuorinen was the first composer commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra under its new Music Director, Christoph von Dohnanyi (Movers and Shakers); and, likewise in 1996, the first to compose for Michael Tilson Thomas' New World Symphony (Bamboula Beach). In 1975, Stravinsky's widow gave Wuorinen the composer's last sketches for use in his homage A Reliquary for Igor Stravinsky, premiered by Tilson Thomas in Buffalo and Ojai. The Reliquary received its first recording under the baton of Oliver Knussen and the London Sinfonietta on a Deutsche Grammophon CD and was choreographed by Peter Martins for the NYCB in 1995. Wuorinen's works are published exclusively by C.F. Peters Corporation. Wuorinen has written more than 260 compositions to date. He is the author of Simple Composition, used by composition students throughout the world. His music has been recorded by several labels, among them Naxos. Wuorinen is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
