American composer Milton Babbitt died yesterday at the age of 94.

I admit I don't know a ton about him, and I don't listen to a lot of his music, but I do know that his influence on contemporary "art music" has been great. (And we share the same birthday -- May 10.) So I thought today would be a good day to learn some more about Babbitt and why he was known as such a pioneer in several aspects of music. Below is a short article with a nice summary of Babbitt's life and career, followed by a link to an extensive interview of Babbitt that really gives the reader a good sense of what this man was all about.

Avant-Garde Composer, Teacher Milton Babbitt Dies at Age 94: NPR Milton Babbitt: A Discussion in 12 Parts