Terry Riley

Terry Riley is an American composer and performer associated with the early minimalist movement. His work often centers on repetitive patterns, sustained tones, tape-loop techniques, and improvisation, drawing on modal and non-Western influences such as Hindustani classical music. Riley's pieces frequently emphasize long-form, meditative processes and open-ended performance strategies, and his approach has been important to developments in minimal, experimental, and ambient music. He performs on keyboards and leads both notated and improvised ensemble settings.