June 24, 1935:
Terry Mitchell Riley is born in Colfax, California, USA, the son of Charles Riley, a railroad foreman, and Wilma Amelia Ridolfi.
December 2, 1959:
LaMonte Young (24) begins a series of “Noon Concerts” for the University of California at Berkeley music department. They feature contemporary composers, including John Cage (47) and himself. Vision, a theatre and music piece by Young is performed for the first time. Musicians are separated spatially and the performance takes place in the dark. Among the performers is Terry Riley (24).
September 6, 1961:
In the Kongresshalle Mathildenhöhe, Darmstadt, David Tudor, Kenji Kobayashi, Christoph Caskel, and Carla Henius perform a program of German premieres: Wonderful Widow of 18 Springs and 26’55.988” for pianist and string player by John Cage (49), Incidental Music by George Brecht, Canons for piano and percussion by David Behrman, Stanzas for violin and piano by Toshi Ichiyanagi (28), To Henry Flynt by LaMonte Young (25), and Envelope for violin and piano by Terry Riley (26). One audience member calls for an ambulance during Young’s piece. The crew arrives and leaves when they find Tudor on the floor, in the middle of hitting a gong 566 times. Also present is Alvin Lucier (30) who will remember Pierre Boulez (36) standing on a chair, staring down at Tudor during To Henry Flynt.
December 18, 1961:
The first in a concert series called Sonics takes place at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. It includes electronic music created in a new studio set up in the conservatory’s attic by Ramon Sender. It features music by Sender, Pauline Oliveros (29), Terry Riley (26), and Philip Winsor. Riley's Mescalin Mix and Oliveros’ Time Perspectives for four-track tape are performed for the first time.
November 4, 1964:
Several works by Terry Riley (29) are performed at the San Francisco Tape Music Center, 321 Divisadero Street: Music from the Gift, I, Shoeshine, In B-flat or is it A-flat?, Coulé (Keyboard Study no.1), and the premiere of In C. Among the performers are Steve Reich (29), Pauline Oliveros (32), Morton Subotnick (31), and the composer. Subotnick will recall, "The audience response was wonderful. There was a buzz...It was a kind of warm, vibrant, happy...it was like something had happened, maybe not historical, but something had happened that night that was really special. It was different than other concerts." (Carl, 50) This concert, especially In C, help bring minimalism into the mainstream.
November 8, 1964:
A review of the Terry Riley (29) performance, repeated on 6 November, appears in the San Francisco Chronicle, written by Alfred Frankenstein. "At times you feel you have never done anything all your life long but listen to this music and as if that is all there is or ever will be, but it is altogether absorbing, exciting, and moving, too." (Carl, 53)
January 27, 1965:
Three works by Steve Reich (28) are performed for the first time, at the San Francisco Tape Music Center: It's Gonna Rain, or, Meet Brother Walter in Union Square after Listening to Terry Riley for tape, Music for Two or More Pianos or Piano and Tape, and Livelihood for tape. Livelihood is edited recordings of customers in Reich's taxi, along with other street sounds.
March 13, 1965:
Autumn Leaves by Terry Riley (29) is performed for the first time, privately at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, California.
May 21, 1965:
Tread on the Trail for unspecified instruments by Terry Riley (29) is performed for the first time, at the San Francisco Tape Music Center. Among the performers are Pauline Oliveros (32), Steve Reich (28), and the composer.
August 20, 1966:
After performing at the Sundance Festival in Pennsylvania, LaMonte Young (30) disbands his performance group The Theatre of Eternal Music, which includes himself, his wife Marian Zazeela, and Terry Riley (31).
April 27, 1967:
Olson III by Terry Riley (31) is performed for the first time, in Stockholm.
November 17, 1967:
Terry Riley (32) performs (perhaps for the first time) and records Poppy Nogood’s All Night Flight (The First Ascent) as part of an eight-hour concert at the Philadelphia College of Art.
May 18, 1968:
Music Now gives its first performances in a series called “Sounds of Discovery” at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London. Most are programmed by Cornelius Cardew (32), although this one, featuring the music of LaMonte Young (32) and Terry Riley (32), is not.
January 20, 1969:
Pianist Aleksey Lubimov performs an avant-garde program at the House of Composers in Moscow. He presents works by Morton Feldman (43), Pierre Schaeffer (58), Terry Riley (33), Estonian Kuldar Sink, and Swiss composer Pierre Mariétan. As an encore he plays 4’33” by John Cage (56). It is seen as opposition to official Soviet orthodoxy and causes a scandal.
April 14, 1969:
Terry Riley (33) gives the inaugural concert at the newly renovated Electric Circus on St. Mark’s Place, New York. In the audience is an interested composer named Philip Glass (32).
April 5, 1973:
Persian Surgery Dervishes by Terry Riley (37) is performed for the first time, at the Whitney Museum, San Francisco.
December 8, 1984:
The Harp of New Albion for piano in just intonation by Terry Riley (49) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of WDR, Cologne.
March 1, 1986:
Salome Dances for Peace for string quartet by Terry Riley (50) is performed for the first time, in the Centre Pompidou, Paris.
November 11, 1991:
Mexico City Blues for orchestra by Terry Riley (56) is performed for the first time, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
September 30, 1994:
Ritmos and Melos for violin, piano, and percussion by Terry Riley (59) is performed for the first time, at Mills College, Oakland, California.
May 1, 2005:
The Cusp of Magic for string quartet and pipa by Terry Riley (70) is performed for the first time, in Hertz Hall of the University of California at Berkeley.
May 6, 2007:
Giant-Hairy Nude-Warriors Racing Down the Slopes of Battle for large chamber ensemble by Terry Riley (71) is performed for the first time, at the Drogheda Festival in Ireland.
March 30, 2008:
SolTierraLuna, a triple concerto for two guitars, violin, and chamber orchestra by Terry Riley (72), is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.
May 25, 2008:
The Universal Bridge for organ by Terry Riley (72) is performed for the first time, in Walt Disney Hall, Los Angeles.
March 28, 2009:
The Transylvanian Horn Courtship for Stroh instruments by Terry Riley (73) is performed for the first time, at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana.
March 11, 2010:
Another Secret Equation for chorus and string quartet by Terry Riley (74) is performed for the first time, in Zankel Hall, New York.
April 18, 2012:
SwarAmant for violin, guitar, and tabla by Terry Riley (76) is performed for the first time, in the Purcell Room of Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.
May 3, 2012:
The Palmian Chord Ryddle for electric violin and orchestra by Terry Riley (76) is performed for the first time, in Nashville, Tennessee.
March 28, 2014:
Serquent Risadome for string quartet by Terry Riley (78) is performed for the first time, in New York.
April 11, 2014:
At the Royal Majestic for organ and orchestra by Terry Riley (78) is performed for the first time, in Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, conducted by John Adams (67).
April 8, 2015:
Children of Gaza for harp and accordion by Terry Riley (79) is performed for the first time, in Amsterdam.
June 27, 2015:
Praying Mantis Rag for piano-four hands by Terry Riley (79) is performed for the first time, in the San Francisco Jazz Center.
July 18, 2015:
Bell Station III for children’s choir and instrumental ensemble by Terry Riley (79) is performed for the first time, in the Barbican Centre, London.
December 5, 2015:
Dark Queen Mantra for electric guitar and string quartet by Terry Riley (79) is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.