Olivier Greif (3 January 1950, Paris – 13 May 2000, Paris) was a French composer of Polish-Jewish parentage. His father was an Auschwitz survivor, a fact which affected Greif deeply and led him to compose a number of Holocaust-themed works, notably Todesfuge, based on the poem by Paul Celan, and Lettres de Westerbork, a song cycle which uses letters written by Etty Hillesum.
Greif began composing at the age of 9, and studied at the Paris Conservatoire and the Juilliard School. He is best known for his solo piano music and songs for voice. He left over 100 works completed at his death, along with several still in progress. He was interred at the Montparnasse cemetery.
His career was spent teaching composition and directing music festivals such as the Académie-Festival des Arcs.
Olivier Greif
Biography
Olivier Greif (3 January 1950, Paris – 13 May 2000, Paris) was a French composer of Polish-Jewish parentage. His father was an Auschwitz survivor, a fact which affected Greif deeply and led him to compose a number of Holocaust-themed works, notably Todesfuge, based on the poem by Paul Celan, and Lettres de Westerbork, a song cycle which uses letters written by Etty Hillesum.Greif began composing at the age of 9, and studied at the Paris Conservatoire and the Juilliard School. He is best known for his solo piano music and songs for voice. He left over 100 works completed at his death, along with several still in progress. He was interred at the Montparnasse cemetery.
His career was spent teaching composition and directing music festivals such as the Académie-Festival des Arcs.
(from Wikipedia)