May 10, 1916:
Milton Byron Babbitt is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, the son of Albert Babbitt, a mathematician, and Sarah Potamkin.
February 20, 1959:
The Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center comes into existence with the beginning of a grant of $175,000 to the two universities. The directors are Otto Luening (58) and Vladimir Ussachevsky (47) at Columbia, and Milton Babbitt (42) and Roger Sessions (62) at Princeton.
September 6, 1961:
Two new works are performed for the first time, in the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, New York: Elliott Carter’s (52) Double Concerto for harpsichord, piano, and two chamber orchestras, and Vision and Prayer for soprano and tape by Milton Babbitt (45).
May 13, 1962:
Piece for Piano and 16 Instruments by Stefan Wolpe (59) is performed for the first time, at the New School, New York conducted by Ralph Shapey (41). Also premiered are Shapey's Dimensions for soprano and 23 instruments and Chamber Concerto by Arthur Berger (49). Shapey will remember it as one of the most exciting days of his life. In the audience are Edgar Varèse (76), Aaron Copland (61), Elliott Carter (53), Milton Babbitt (46), Erich Leinsdorf, Harold Rosenburg, Dore Ashton, Jack Tworkove, and Willem de Kooning. It is a great success.
February 13, 1964:
Philomel for soprano and four-track tape by Milton Babbitt (47) is performed for the first time, at Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts.
April 15, 1964:
Peter Maxwell Davies (29) returns to Great Britain from a year and a half in the United States, where he studied with Roger Sessions (67), Milton Babbitt (47), and Earl Kim at Princeton University.
February 9, 1965:
The National Institute of Arts and Letters (US) announces the election of Vincent Persichetti (49), Milton Babbitt (48), and Peter Mennin (41) as members.
March 3, 1966:
Relata I for orchestra by Milton Babbitt (49) is performed for the first time, in Cleveland.
May 21, 1966:
B, A, B, B, IT, T for clarinet by Donald Martino (35) is performed for the first time, in New Haven, Connecticut by the composer. It is dedicated to Milton Babbitt on his 50th birthday.
April 5, 1968:
Olly Wilson (30) wins the first competition devoted to electronic music, at Dartmouth College with his composition Cetus. The three judges are Milton Babbitt (51), Vladimir Ussachevsky (56), and George Balch Wilson.
January 16, 1969:
Relata II for orchestra by Milton Babbitt (52) is performed for the first time, in Philharmonic Hall, New York under the baton of Leonard Bernstein (50).
October 31, 1970:
Ancient Voices of Children for soprano, treble, oboe, mandolin, harp, electric piano, and percussion by George Crumb (41) to words of Garcia Lorca is performed for the first time, in the Library of Congress, Washington. The work receives a standing, cheering ovation from the listeners assembled. Also on the program is the premiere of the String Quartet no.4 of Milton Babbitt (54), Changes for tape and electronics by Charles Dodge (28), Mass for soprano, clarinet, and electronics by John C. Eaton (35), and Sappho for mezzo-soprano, harp, piano, guitar, and percussion by R. Murray Schafer (36).
April 10, 1972:
A service in memory Stefan Wolpe is held at The Riverside Funeral Home, Amsterdam Avenue, New York. Among the speakers are Milton Babbitt (55), John Cage (59), and Elliott Carter (63). Wolpe’s earthly remains are cremated.
March 13, 1976:
Concerti for violin, small orchestra, and tape by Milton Babbitt (59) is performed for the first time, in New York.
February 10, 1979:
A Solo Requiem for soprano and two pianos by Milton Babbitt (62) to words of Shakespeare, Hopkins, Meredith, Stramm, and Dryden is performed for the first time, in New York.
July 16, 1981:
Ars combinatoria for small orchestra by Milton Babbitt (65) is performed for the first time, in Bloomington, Indiana.
January 19, 1986:
Concerto for piano and orchestra by Milton Babbitt (69) is performed for the first time, in New York.
December 4, 1986:
Milton Babbitt (70) is elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
June 13, 1994:
New works are premiered at the 50th anniversary concert of WNYC in Alice Tully Hall, New York, all based on a new poem by John Ashberry: No Longer Very Clear for soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, and cello by Milton Babbitt (78), Chapbook for piano-six hands by Peter Schickele (58), Now, so long after that time for piano by Philip Glass (57), How Like Pellucid Statues, Daddy for bassoon quartet by John Corigliano (56), "Or Like a...an Engine" from No Longer Very Clear: a Suite for Piano by Joan Tower (55), This House of Blues for tape by Laurie Anderson (47), and In This House of Blues for voice, clarinet, and piano by Anthony Davis (43), the composer at the keyboard.
November 15, 1998:
Piano Concerto no.2 by Milton Babbitt (82) is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.
July 25, 2006:
A performance of Igor Stravinsky’s (†25) L’Histoire du Soldat takes place at Tanglewood, Lenox, Massachusetts. The part of the soldier is taken by Elliott Carter (97), the devil is Milton Babbitt (90), and the narrator is read by John Harbison (67).
January 29, 2011:
Milton Byron Babbitt dies at University Medical Center in Princeton, New Jersey, USA, aged 94 years, eight months, and 19 days.