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John Adams

Composer, conductor, and creative thinker—John Adams occupies a unique position in the world of American music. His works stand out among contemporary classical compositions for their depth of expression, brilliance of sound, and the profoundly humanist nature of their themes. Among Adams’s works are several of the most performed contemporary classical pieces today: Harmonielehre, Shaker Loops, Chamber Symphony, Doctor Atomic Symphony, Short Ride in a Fast Machine, and his Violin Concerto. His stage works, in collaboration with director Peter Sellars, include Nixon in China, The Death of Klinghoffer, El Niño, Doctor Atomic, A Flowering Tree, and the Passion oratorio The Gospel According to the Other Mary. Adams’s most recent opera, Girls of the Golden West, set during the 1850s California Gold Rush, was premiered by the San Francisco Opera in 2017. In 2019, Adams received Holland's prestigious Erasmus Prize, “for contributions to European culture,” the only American composer ever chosen for this award. Adams has additionally received honorary doctorates from Harvard, Yale, Northwestern University, Cambridge University, and the Juilliard School. Since 2009 he has held the position of Creative Chair with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. A provocative writer, he is author of the highly acclaimed autobiography Hallelujah Junction and is a contributor to the New York Times Book Review.

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Shaker Loops: I. Shaking and Trembling

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1812 Overture, Op. 49 (Tchaikovsky)

John Adams Orchestra

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Gnarly Buttons: III. Put Your Loving Arms Around Me

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Gnarly Buttons: II. Hoe-down (Mad Cow)

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The Dharma at Big Sur, Pt. I: A New Day

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American Elegies

2005

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John Adams: Girls of the Golden West

2024

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Adams: Son of Chamber Symphony & String Quartet

2011

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The Essential Ralph van Raat

2025

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John Adams: Doctor Atomic

2018

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I Am Love Soundtrack by John Adams

2010

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The Calm: Inspired 20th Century Classics

2001

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Ghostly Thoughts

2014

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"Patterns in Motion - The Great Minimalists: Vol. II"

2025

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City Noir

2014

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Charles Ives: Fourth Symphony

EP • 2015

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Doctor Atomic, Act II, Scene 3: Chorus - "At the sight of this"

Single • 2018

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Adams: China Gates

Single • 2024

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Doctor Atomic, Act I, Scene 3: "Batter my heart"

Single • 2018

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Girls of the Golden West, Act I Scene 1: Wagon Ride - Ned Peters was a hustler (feat. Davóne Tines & Julia Bullock)

Single • 2024

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On the Transmigration of Souls

EP • 2004

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I'm Like A Bird (Extended Mix)

Single • 2020

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Girls of the Golden West (2024)

Playlist • John Adams • 1.2K views