John Coolidge Adams is an American composer and conductor known for his significant contributions to contemporary classical music. He is particularly recognised for his operas based on real historical events, along with major orchestral, choral, chamber, electronic, and piano works. Growing up in a musical family in New England, Adams studied at Harvard University. Initially, he was influenced by strict modernist music, but the writings of John Cage inspired him to explore new styles. After relocating to San Francisco, he became a prominent figure in the city’s new-music scene and taught at the San Francisco Conservatory. His minimalist style is evident in works like Phrygian Gates and Shaker Loops. Notable pieces such as Harmonium and Short Ride in a Fast Machine increased his national recognition. His opera Nixon in China, about Nixon’s 1972 visit, marked a collaboration with director Peter Sellars. Adams won the Pulitzer Prize for On the Transmigration of Souls, a tribute to 9/11 victims. His later operas include Doctor Atomic and Girls of the Golden West.