Speaker: François Hudry, radio broadcaster (France Musique, Radio Suisse Romande), journalist, musicographer, editorialist and lecturer

Born in 1937, Philip Glass is one of today's most important American composers. Famous for his film scores (The Hours), piano Études and numerous operas, he was one of the fathers of "minimalism" in the 1970s, at a time when American composers were refusing to follow the atonal paths of European classical music. After studying in Paris, he became close to both Ravi Shankar and David Bowie, in a style that blends Western harmonies with the melismas of non-European music, in a simplicity of writing that can be understood by the widest possible audience. Over time, his music has moved away from its purely minimalist aspect to achieve a kind of timeless neo-romanticism far removed from the conventions of contemporary music. Adored by some, scorned by others, his diverse music leaves no one indifferent.