Less is More

Minimal music takes centre stage in the 26-27 season, with its own series and the festival Less is More. We celebrate the 90th birthdays of Steve Reich and Philip Glass, pioneers of minimal music. Although they did not always label their compositions as such, their repetitive patterns undeniably reshaped the musical landscape. With Less is More, we aim to look beyond the works of Reich and Glass, honouring their legacy through multiple and diverse voices, culminating in a festival in January 2027. Vanessa Wagner’s concert, dedicated to Philip Glass’s Études, is a love letter to the composer, inviting the audience to experience these solo piano works as a continuous stream. The festival culminates in GLA55 by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Rosas, which focuses on Glass’s earliest works. Half installation, half concert: Aart Strootman’s Steve Reich Marathon unravels the layers and loops of Electric Counterpoint. We also spotlight a selection of artists inspired by the transcendence of minimal music. Sarathy Korwar draws on South Asian procession rituals, creating hypnotic drum rhythms. From Ghanaian influences to New York’s underground: this music moves, repeats, and transforms.