Steve Reich and Musicians

[1][3] The addition of trained percussionists to the ensemble was instrumental to the creation and premiere of Drumming in 1971, the first piece by Reich to employ percussion.

[5] This piece is considered a pivotal point in Reich's career, marking a distinct shift toward harmony being brought to the forefront ahead of the rhythmically based style of his previous works.

[6] During this period, the group usually gave private performances of pieces they were rehearsing in lofts and small galleries in New York City prior to the public premieres.

[7] The invited audiences for these small concerts often included artists like Sol LeWitt and Richard Serra, as well as other musicians and composers such as Philip Glass, Morton Feldman, and John Cage.

[9] In 2006–2007, Reich's 70th birthday was honored with a series of multiple concerts held at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

[1] Since then, the size of the ensemble has fluctuated depending on the works to be performed, with the aforementioned 18 musicians being approximately the upper limit.

Many compositions consist primarily of tuned percussion (marimbas, vibraphones, glockenspiels) and voices, as well as bowed string instruments, bass clarinets, and electronic organs.

Other ensembles feature more original instrumentation, or only the human body as in the case of pieces like Clapping Music.