• Born September 12, 1930 in Duncan, Oklahoma
• Country: U.S.A.
• Genres: Keyboard

Biography

Austin received his education at North Texas State University and taught at the University of California-Davis, the University of South Florida, and at the Center of the Creative and Performing Arts of S.U.N.Y. in Buffalo, NY. He was a principal founder and editor of Source, a journal of avant-garde music. He achieved his first success with his composition Improvisations for Orchestra and Jazz Soloists in 1961, performed by the New York Philharmonic. He experimented with an open style in which sections of the composition are designated for free improvisation by the performers and the work's overall form is controlled by analogue notation. He also uses electronic and theatrical devices in his composition. ~ Lynn Vought, All Music Guide

(b Duncan, ok, 12 Sept 1930). American composer. He studied in California at Mills College and Berkeley, under Imbrie, Milhaud and Shifrin. He has taught at Davis, Tampa and Denton. His music uses group improvisations and ‘open style’ techniques as well as electronic and theatrical media. Among his works are Improvisations, for orchestra and jazz soloists (1961), Walter (a stage work involving tape and film, 1971) and a series of works based on Ives's sketches including two fantasies involving instruments and tape (1975-6) and Life Pulse Music for 20 percussion (1984).

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