Kyle Gann, born 1955 in Dallas, Texas, is a composer and has been new-music critic for the Village Voice since 1986. Internationally known as an authority on American music, he is the author of The Music of Conlon Nancarrow (Cambridge University Press, 1995) and American Music in the 20th Century (Schirmer Books, 1997). He studied composition with Ben Johnston, Morton Feldman, and Peter Gena. His music is often microtonal, using up to 37 pitches per octave, and his rhythmic language, based on differing successive and simultaneous tempos, was developed from study of Hopi, Zuni, and Pueblo Indian musics. His music has been performed on the New Music America, Bang on a Can, and Spoleto festivals, and across Europe. He received a 1994 commission from Music in Motion for his Astrological Studies, and in 1996-97 a National Foundation for the Arts Individual Artists' Fellowship. His music has been recorded by the Monroe Street Music and New Tone labels and his scores are available from Frog Peak Music and Monroe Street Music. In 1997 he joined the faculty of Bard College.

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