Steve Reich at 90: Worldwide Celebrations and Premiere
During the 2026-2027 season, ensembles and presenters around the world salute composer Steve Reich’s 90th birthday. Marking the occasion, Reich unveils a new large ensemble work, In All Your Ways, which that will tour across Europe, North America, and Asia.
Composer Steve Reich turns 90 years old on October 3, 2026. His milestone is being honored by ensembles, presenters, and organizations across Europe, the UK, the Americas, and Asia. Festivals and special programs highlight his contributions across seven decades—from early tape and phase works to landmark compositions such as Music for 18 Musicians, Tehillim, and Different Trains, alongside more recent works.
At the center of the celebrations is the premiere of In All Your Ways, an 18-minute work for large ensemble. Scored for the classic Reich combination of double flutes and clarinets, mallet percussion, piano duo, and string quartet, the new work receives its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival with the Colin Currie Group (Aug 28), followed by performances in the NTR ZaterdagMatinee series in Amsterdam (Sep 19), Soundstreams in Toronto (Oct 6), Carnegie Hall in New York (Oct 22), the Barbican in London (Oct 28), the Philharmonie de Paris (Nov 15), and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic (Mar 7), with more performances to be announced. Performances feature leading interpreters of Reich’s music, including the Colin Currie Group, Ensemble Signal, and Bang on a Can.
Reich’s hometown of New York City will host a series of major celebrations in fall 2026. Carnegie Hall presents a birthday concert on October 22, featuring longtime collaborators Bang on a Can and Ensemble Signal alongside Nico Muhly, Lisa Kaplan, and Bryce Dessner in works spanning five decades, including the US premieres of In All Your Ways and Two Pianos. The Park Avenue Armory marks the 50th anniversary of Music for 18 Musicians with an expanded, immersive production (Oct 14–18) featuring three generations of performers in the Drill Hall—the original Steve Reich Ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, and musicians from the Manhattan School of Music. The New York Philharmonic also joins the celebrations with a “Sound On” program of Tehillim (Dec 8), featuring guest ensemble Synergy Vocals and conducted by David Robertson.
In the UK, major cultural institutions present a wide range of Reich’s music. The Schwarzman Centre in Oxford presents a “Steve Reich in Focus” series (Sep 25-30), exploring works such as Drumming, Music for 18 Musicians, and Different Trains through spatial audio projects with the Ligeti Quartet and sound designers Loss><Gain, in collaboration with the Colin Currie Group. The Glasshouse in Gateshead hosts a Reich festival (October 2–4), curated by Colin Currie and hosted by Tom Service, with performances of Drumming, Music for 18 Musicians, The Desert Music, and more by the Colin Currie Group, Bryce Dessner, Royal Northern Sinfonia, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The Barbican in London is host to multiple Reich concerts, including recitals with the Colin Currie Group and the Colin Currie Quartet, an all-Reich program with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Susanna Mälkki (also touring to Paris), and an intergenerational performance of Music for 18 Musicians with students from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Elsewhere, the Munich Philharmonic (Nov 1) presents chamber works including Music for Pieces of Wood, Pendulum Music, Drumming, Part I, and Six Marimbas. The Philharmonie de Paris hosts a multi-day focus (Nov 12-15) featuring dance collaborations and chamber performances with the Colin Currie Group. In Canada, Soundstreams presents the North American premiere of In All Your Ways, alongside a special presentation of Clapping Music that features a filmed performance by Reich paired with a live performance by Russell Hartenberger. The Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Brad Lubman, offers an all-Reich program including the West Coast premiere of In All Your Ways and the US premiere of a new arrangement of Reich’s Proverb by Anna Clyne, created as a birthday tribute.
> Further information on Work: In All Your Ways
Photo: Jennifer Taylor