born , Oct. 24, 1929, Charleston, W.Va., U.S.
U.S. composer.
Born to musician parents, he studied at the University of Michigan and from 1965 taught at the University of Pennsylvania. His style is known particularly for its unusual and hauntingly evocative timbres. Echoes of Time and the River (1967, Pulitzer Prize) and Ancient Voices of Children (1970) brought him wide fame. His other works include Madrigals, Books I-IV (1965–70), Night of the Four Moons (1969), Black Angels (1970), Makrokosmos I and II (1972, 1973), and Star-Child (1977).