Michael Harrison

A protégé of minimalist godfather La Monte Young, this conservatory-trained pianist and composer successfully mixed classical, jazz, and ethnic influences into his music. Harrison also worked extensively with alternate tuning systems and invented what he called the "harmonic piano." This instrument is capable of playing 24 notes per octave (as opposed to the standard 12). The strings are also designed to resonate sympathetically like those of a sitar. ~ Linda Kohanov