john luther adams
"One of the most original musical thinkers of the new century." - Alex Ross, The New Yorker


interviews
“I Just Listened to Everything I Could Lay My Ears On”

The Passion of the Weiss, 2025

In a five-decade-long career, John Luther Adams has always chosen to forge his own way, carving out a singular lane for himself as one of America’s best-known composers.

READ HERE
writings
The Liminal Line: Remembering Barry Lopez

Orion Magazine, December 2024.

MORE INFO   

writings
Maureen Buja | Interlude
Musicians and Artists: Adams and Stella

Inspirations Behind John Luther Adams: Among Red Mountains

MORE INFO   

notes
A Musical Friendship: John Luther Adams and Mark Morris
July 24, 2025

Mark Morris and I became friends through our mutual love for the music and the person of the marvelous Lou Harrison. I think Lou would be delighted that Mark has made new dance to my music. And I know that I am.

MORE INFO   

notes
Outside Music
December 06, 2025

For over fifteen years now, in addition to music for the concert hall, I’ve composed a continuing series works intended to be performed out of doors. The most recent of these is Crossing Open Ground — titled after the book by my beloved friend, the late Barry Lopez, and dedicated to his memory. Since its premiere at the Aspen Music Festival, Crossing Open Ground has been performed in the plaza at Lincoln Center, and most recently in Snow Canyon, Utah. In April, the Los Angeles Philharmonic will present it in Elysian Park.

MORE INFO   

notes
Goodbye, Schubert
February 09, 2026

This week the Australian Chamber Orchestra gives the first performances of Horizon, a diptych of two 20-minute pieces — “Visible Horizon” and “True Horizon”— which the ACO is performing on alternate concerts while on tour around Australia.

MORE INFO   

His music perfectly echoes the landscape he loves: impersonal, relentless, larger than human scale, yet gorgeous, a quiet chaos of colors, suffused with light. It’s not a climate everyone could live in. But for those who want to bathe their ears in an aural aurora borealis while staying warm inside, it’s a spiritual odyssey well worth taking. - Kyle Gann
john luther adams
From time to time JLA will share musings on work in progress, new recordings and publications, and forthcoming performances. If you'd like to know when a new post appears, enter your email address here:
Copyright © 2026 All rights reserved.