Electronic Music History

Birthdays in Music

  • 1896-08-27 Leon Theremin, Russian-Soviet electronic musical instruments inventor, born in St. Petersburg, Russia (d. 1993)
  • 1900-06-15 Otto Luening, German American conductor, composer and electronic music pioneer (Sonority Canon), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1996)
  • 1900-08-23 Ernst Krenek, Austrian-American concert, opera, and electronic music composer (Johnny Spielt Auf: Orpheus and Eurydike; Fibonacci-Mobile), born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (d. 1991)
  • 1904-10-28 Louis de Meester, Belgian pianist and classical and electronic music composer (The Great Temptation of St Anthony), born in Roeselare, Flanders, Belgium (d. 1987)
  • 1908-02-13 Gerald Strang, American classical and electronic music composer, born in Claresholm, Alberta, Canada (d. 1983)
  • 1910-07-18 Oskar Sala, German physicist, composer, electronic music pioneer, and Trautonium (an early synthesizer) player, born in Greiz, Principality of the Reuss Elder Line, Empire of Germany (d. 2002)
  • 1916-05-10 Milton Babbitt, American mathematician, composer of serial and electronic music (Correspondences), and teacher (Princeton; Juilliard), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2011)
  • 1917-04-15 Pietro Grossi, Italian composer, and electronic music pioneer, born in Venice, Kingdom of Italy (d. 2002)
  • 1919-04-12 István Anhalt, Hungarian-Canadian classical and electronic music composer (La Tourangelle; Winthrop), educator (McGill; Queens (Ontario) Universities), and writer (Alternative Voices), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2012) [1]
  • 1920-04-07 Gino Marinuzzi, Jr., Italian-American conductor, symphonic and film score composer (Le Carrosse d’or), and electronic music pioneer (Fonosynth), born in New York City (d. 1996)
  • 1920-04-23 Louis Barron, American composer (electronic music), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (d. 1989)
  • 1922-10-28 Gershon Kingsley [Götz Ksinski], German-American composer, electronic music pioneer, and Moog synthesizer player (Popcorn), born in Bochum, Weimar Republic (d. 2019)
  • 1925-05-14 Tristram Ogilvie Cary, British-Australian composer, electronic music pioneer, and educator, born in Oxford, England (d. 2008)
  • 1925-05-15 Emmanuel Ghent, Canadian American electronic music composer (Phosphones), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 2003)
  • 1925-09-01 Ruth S. White, American electronic music composer (Flowers Of Evil), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2013)
  • 1926-02-26 Arsene Souffriau, Belgian pioneering electronic music composer, born in Ixelles, Belgium (d. 2012)
  • 1926-03-11 Ilhan Mimaroglu, Turkish electronic music composer and musician, born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2012)
  • 1926-10-05 Gottfried Michael Koenig, German-Dutch composer, educator, and electronic music pioneer, born in Magdeburg, Germany (d. 2021)
  • 1927-02-02 Richard Maxfield, American instrumental, electro-acoustic, and electronic music composer, born in Seattle, Washington (d. 1969)
  • 1927-11-18 Lawrence Moss, American contemporary classical, opera, and electronic music composer, and educator, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2022)
  • 1928-03-21 Ruth Anderson, American flutist, classical and electronic music composer (I Come Out of Your Sleep), born in Kalispell, Montana (d. 2019)
  • 1928-08-22 Karlheinz Stockhausen, German classical and electronic music composer, born in Mödrath, Kerpen, Germany (d. 2007)
  • 1929-03-03 Nikos Mamangakis, Greek classical and electronic music composer, born in Rethymno, Crete (d. 2013)
  • 1929-05-16 Osmo Lindeman, Finnish jazz pianist, film score composer, pedagogue, and electronic music pioneer, born in Helsinki, Finland (d. 1987)
  • 1930-10-17 Angelo Paccignini, Italian composer (Flou II), educator (Milan Conservatory - electronic music chair. 1969-80), and musical director (Nuova Armonia), born in Castano Primo, Italy (d. 2001)
  • 1930-10-28 (Harry Gilbert) Gil Trythall, American pianist, contemporary classical and electronic music composer (The Pastimes of Lord Chaitanya), and educator, born in Knoxville, Tennessee (d. 2023)
  • 1931-05-19 Ruben Radica, Croatian classical and electronic music composer (Towards A), and educator, born in Split, Yugoslavia (d. 2021)
  • 1932-04-27 François Bayle, French electronic music composer, born in Toamasina, Madagascar
  • 1933-04-14 Morton Subotnick, American electronic music composer (Silver Apples of the Moon; A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1933-07-20 José Vicente Asuar, Chilean electronic music composer, born in Santiago, Chile (d. 2017)
  • 1933-09-03 Roland Kayn, German electronic music composer, born in Reutlingen (d. 2011)
  • 1937-09-25 Thomas Kessler, Swiss composer, and electronic music pioneer, born in Zurich, Switzerland
  • 1938-06-24 Lowell Cross, American electronic music composer, instrument maker and laser light show inventor, born in Kingsville, Texas
  • 1938-12-12 Joel Chadabe, American electronic music composer, born in New York City (d. 2021)
  • 1939-07-25 Richard Trythall, American-Italian pianist, contemporary classical and electronic music composer (Continuums; Parts Unknown), and educator, born in Knoxville, Tennessee (d. 2022)
  • 1940-01-01 Richard Orton, British modern classical and electronic music composer, performer, and educator (University of York, 1967-96), born in England (d. 2013)
  • 1940-01-30 David C. Johnson, American composer, flautist, educator, and electronic music performer (Stockhausen), born in Batavia, New York (d. 2021)
  • 1940-05-11 Ron Pellegrino, American electronic music composer, born in Kenosha, Wisconsin
  • 1942-06-05 Charles Dodge, American electronic music composer, born in Ames, Iowa
  • 1943-02-25 Maryann Amacher, American electronic music composer, and sound installation artist, born in Kane, Pennsylvania (d. 2009)
  • 1943-06-26 Allen Strange, American composer (Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques, and Controls), born in Calexico, California
  • 1944-01-11 York Höller, German electro-acoustic composer (Klanggitter), artistic director (WDR Studio for Electronic Music, 1990-99), and educator, born in Leverkusen, Germany (d.
  • 1947-08-04 Klaus Schulze, German electronic music composer (Audentity), born in Berlin< Germany
  • 1947-10-22 Neil Rolnick, American electronic music composer and educator (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - iEAR Studios, 1981-2013), born in Dallas, Texas
  • 1948-08-24 Jean-Michel Jarre, French ambient-electronic musician (Oxygène; Équinoxe), born in Lyon, France
  • 1950-09-02 Michael Rother, German electronic musician (Neu!; Kraftwerk; Harmonia; Cluster), born in Hamburg, West Germany
  • 1954-03-16 Miklós Csemiczky, Hungarian contemporary classical and electronic music composer, born in Budapest, Hungary
  • 1956-03-17 Luca Francesconi, Italian classical and electronic music composer (Wanderer; Unexpected End of Formula), born in Milan, Italy
  • 1964-02-01 Dwayne Goettel, Canadian keyboardist and industrial-electronic music composer (Skinny Puppy), born in High Level, Alberta (d. 1995)
  • 1965-03-04 WestBam [Maximillian Lenz], German rave techno DJ, and record label owner, born in Münster, West Germany
  • 1966-11-04 Sam Rosenthal, American electronic musician and composer (Black Tape for a Blue Girl), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1970-06-04 Richie Hawtin, British-Canadian electronic musician (Plastikman), born in Banbury, Oxfordshire
  • 1971-12-16 Paul van Dyk {Mattias Paul], German DJ, and record producer, born in Eisenhüttenstadt, Germany
  • 1973-09-28 Jori Hulkkonen, Finnish electronic musician
  • 1974-10-20 SubtractiveLAD [Stephen Hummel] Canadian electronic music composer and performer, born in Vancouver, British Columbia
  • 1975-01-17 Tom Jenkinson, English bassist, composer, and electronic music producer (Squarepusher), born in Chelmsford, United Kingdom
  • 1977-01-26 Leandro Fresco, Argentine ambient-electronic musician, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 1977-09-09 Stuart Price, British electronic music artist, DJ, songwriter, and record producer (Madonna; The Killers; Seal; Kylie Minogue), born in Paris, France
  • 1978-07-17 Émilie Simon, French pop singer-songwriter and electronic music composer, born in Montpellier, France
  • 1983-01-17 Yelle [Julie Budet], French electro-pop singer and rapper (Yelle), born in Saint-Brieuc, France
  • 1984-01-16 Jared Slingerland, Canadian rock guitarist and electronic musician, born in Kelowna, British Columbia
  • 1988-01-21 William C. Woxlin, Swedish ambient and electronic music composer, born in Borlänge, Sweden
  • 1988-08-24 Kelly Lee Owens, Welsh electronic musician and composer (Inner Song), born in Rhuddlan, Flintshire, Wales

Deaths in Music

  • 1969-06-27 Richard Maxfield, American instrumental, electro-acoustic, and electronic music composer, jumps to his death from a hotel window at 42
  • 1983-10-02 Gerald Strang, American classical and electronic music composer, dies at 75
  • 1987-02-15 Osmo Lindeman, Finnish jazz pianist, film score composer, pedagogue, and electronic music pioneer, dies at 57
  • 1987-12-12 Louis de Meester, Belgian pianist and classical and electronic music composer (The Great Temptation of St Anthony), dies at 83
  • 1989-11-01 Louis Barron, American composer (electronic music), dies at 69
  • 1991-12-22 Ernst Krenek, Austrian-American concert, opera, and electronic music composer (Johnny Spielt Auf: Orpheus and Eurydike; Fibonacci-Mobile), dies at 91
  • 1993-11-03 Leon Theremin, Russian-Soviet electronic musical instrument inventor, dies at 97
  • 1995-08-23 Dwayne Goettel, Canadian keyboardist and industrial-electronic music composer (Skinny Puppy), dies of a heroin overdose at 31
  • 1996-09-02 Otto Luening, German American conductor, composer and electronic music pioneer (Sonority Canon), dies at 96
  • 1996-11-08 Gino Marinuzzi, Jr., Italian-American conductor, symphonic and film score composer (Le Carrosse d’or), and electronic music pioneer (Fonosynth), dies at 76
  • 1997-12-10 Gershon Kingsley [Götz Ksinski], German-American composer, electronic music pioneer, and Moog synthesizer player (Popcorn), dies at 97
  • 1999-07-02 Angelo Paccignini, Italian composer (Flou II), educator (Milan Conservatory - electronic music chair. 1969-80), and musical director (Nuova Armonia), dies at 68
  • 2002-02-26 Oskar Sala, German physicist, composer, electronic music pioneer, and Trautonium (an early synthesizer) player, dies at 91
  • 2003-03-31 Emmanuel Ghent, Canadian-American electronic music composer (Phosphones), dies at 77
  • 2007-12-05 Karlheinz Stockhausen, German classical and electronic music composer, dies at 79
  • 2008-08-24 Tristram Ogilvie Cary, British-Australian composer, electronic music pioneer, and educator, dies at 82
  • 2011-01-05 Roland Kayn, German electronic music composer, dies at 77
  • 2011-01-29 Milton Babbitt, American mathematician, composer of serial and electronic music (Correspondences), and teacher (Princeton; Juilliard), dies at 94
  • 2011-07-25 Arsene Souffriau, Belgian pioneering electronic music composer, dies at 86
  • 2011-09-13 DJ Mehdi [Favéris-Essadi], French hip hop and electro producer, dies from falling through a skylight at his home at 34
  • 2012-02-24 István Anhalt, Hungarian-Canadian classical and electronic music composer (La Tourangelle; Winthrop), educator (McGill; Queens (Ontario) Universities), and writer (Alternative Voices), dies at 92
  • 2012-07-17 Ilhan Mimaroglu, Turkish electronic music composer and musician, dies at 86
  • 2013-02-12 Richard Orton, British modern classical and electronic music composer, performer, and educator (University of York, 1967-96), dies at 73
  • 2013-07-24 Nikos Mamangakis, Greek classical and electronic music composer, dies at 84
  • 2013-08-26 Ruth S. White, American electronic music composer (Flowers Of Evil), dies at 87
  • 2017-01-11 José Vicente Asuar, Chilean electronic music composer, dies at 83
  • 2019-11-29 Ruth Anderson, American flutist, classical and electronic music composer (I Come Out of Your Sleep), dies at 91 [1] [2]
  • 2021-05-02 Joel Chadabe, American electronic music composer, dies at 82
  • 2021-07-28 Ruben Radica, Croatian classical and electronic music composer (Towards A), and educator, dies at 90
  • 2021-10-28 David C. Johnson, American composer, flautist, educator, and electronic music performer (Stockhausen), dies at 81
  • 2021-12-30 Gottfried Michael Koenig, German-Dutch composer, educator, and electronic music pioneer, dies at 95
  • 2022-06-24 Lawrence Moss, American contemporary classical, opera, and electronic music composer, and educator, dies at 94
  • 2022-12-21 Richard Trythall, American-Italian pianist, contemporary classical and electronic music composer (Continuums; Parts Unknown), and educator, dies at 83
  • 2023-02-17 (Harry Gilbert) Gil Trythall, American pianist, contemporary classical and electronic music composer (The Pastimes of Lord Chaitanya), and educator, dies at 92