Lejaren Hiller

Full biography Lejaren Hiller

Lejaren Arthur Hiller Jr. (1924-1994) was an American composer who is best known for his avant-garde music and pioneering work in computer music. He was born in New York and showed an early talent for music, studying piano and composition as a child.

Hiller pursued a career in chemistry and earned a Ph.D. in the subject from Princeton University in 1951. In the early 1950s, he began to explore the possibilities of using computers to create music. He collaborated with mathematician John Cage and others to develop the Illiac Suite, which was premiered at the University of Illinois in 1957.

The Illiac Suite is considered the first substantial piece of music composed using a computer. Hiller continued to be active in computer music throughout his career, and he also wrote compositions for traditional instruments and electronic media.

Hiller was known for his experimental approach to music, and his works often combined elements of chance and improvisation. His music was performed by a variety of ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.

In addition to his work in music, Hiller was also a noted chemist and served as a professor at the University of Illinois for many years. He passed away in 1994 at the age of 69. Hiller's contributions to computer music and avant-garde composition continue to be recognized and celebrated today.