Skip to content

John Harbison

Composer; Institute Prof. of Music, MIT

John Harbison is an American composer whose work is notable for its astonishing range and diversity. He has written for every conceivable type of concert performance and is also considered original and accessible for a wide range of audiences. His major works include four string quartets, four symphonies, the 1987 Pulitzer Prize-winning cantata The Flight into Egypt and three operas, including "The Great Gatsby," which was commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera and first performed in December 1999. Harbison has been composer-in-residence with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Santa Fe Chamber Festival, the American Academy in Rome, Tanglewood, the California Institute for the Arts and Chamber Music West. He is also an Institute Professor at MIT and the Acting Artistic Director of Emmanuel Music. Harbison holds an MFA from Princeton University.

Whom would you like to interview, and what would you ask?

Bono and Alfredo Barraza.

▸

2 min

—

with

How will this age be remembered?

As an age of paradoxes.

▸

1 min

—

with

What should be the big issues of the 2008 presidential election?

This country has a terribly hard time saying that we were wrong and that we made a mistake.

▸

2 min

—

with

What is America’s greatest challenge?

How the United States will cope with China’s rising prominence.

▸

1 min

—

with

Does humanity have a purpose?

The long shadow of the Holocaust.

▸

2 min

—

with

What is the world’s greatest challenge in the coming decade?

Harbison sees some hopeful signs.

▸

2 min

—

with

How does religion inform your work?

Harbison can read the King James Bible over and over.

▸

3 min

—

with

What is your highest virtue?

We have a tremendous attraction to intolerance bred into the early life of this country, Harbison says.

▸

1 min

—

with

How do you overcome composer’s block?

Harbison cultivates his self-confidence.

▸

2 min

—

with

What’s your advice for young artists?

The younger generation never had to go through composer’s boot camp.

▸

3 min

—

with

How do you compose?

John Harbison discusses creative process. He believes everyone has their own process.

▸

5 min

—

with

How do you reach your audience?

Even a negative reaction is good.

▸

3 min

—

with

What sparks your creativity?

On composing around the digressive, self-centered poetry of Newash.

▸

6 min

—

with

Which composers influenced you most?

Harbison discusses his influences and recounts seeing Stravinsky conduct.

▸

1 min

—

with

Are we capable of imaging the world in which we are not there anymore.

▸

6 min

—

with

What is your counsel?

Every decision about what’s worthwhile in this country has to do with its economic power.

▸

2 min

—

with

What do you believe?

Everyone in the world has written a poem.

▸

7 min

—

with

What is your question?

Did you manage during the day to do one thing you really wanted to do?

▸

with

On reconciling Bach and the Holocaust.

▸

5 min

—

with

What is your outlook?

Harbison’s interest in history keeps him from being fully optimistic.

▸

1 min

—

with

What inspires you?

Sometimes just sitting down and knocking out a cord on the piano can be enough.

▸

5 min

—

with

How do you contribute?

Harbison strives to create a tenacious afterimage.

▸

10 min

—

with

Harbison never thought he’d have any interest in doing anything but music.

▸

6 min

—

with

What do you do?

Harbison lives with, amid and around music.

▸

10 min

—

with