John Adams

John Adams (b. 1947) is an American minimalist composer and conductor from East Concord, NH, director of The San Francisco Conservatory New Music Ensemble, and a father of Samuel Adams. Some of his best-known works include Short Ride In A Fast Machine (1986), Harmonielehre (1985), minimalistic Shaker Loops (1978) in four movements for strings, and Pulitzer-winning choral piece On The Transmigration Of Souls (2002), dedicated to the victims of 9-11 attacks. John also wrote several operas, such as Nixon in China (1987) and Doctor Atomic (2005). Adams teaches composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.