Amazing contemporary composers

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Well there's a topic for classical composers and a topic for film composers, but nothing for contemporary composers in general. So who are your favourites?

I really like Tyondai Braxton, his music is of another world. I want to pick his brain!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE9n-T8Lp6Q[/youtube]

(Sorry, Youtube embedding isn't working for me, so I can only post a link!)
[Mod. edit: Fixed that for you! The forum software doesn't correctly handle embedded "https" URLs so I edited it back to "http"]

I get nervous when I come across contemporary composers' blogs or music. Why? Because of the influence of Schoenberg, serialism and other modern dissonances, I half expect contemporary composers to embrace those. That kind of music is unlistenable to me. That said, there's been a few contemporaries that I do like. These include Peteris Vasks, Fred Jonny Berg, Philip Glass and film composers like Eliot Goldenthal, Alexandre Desplat, Rachel Portman, Dario Marianelli and David Arnold.

Arvo Part and Henryk Górecki are my two favorites. Ligeti has a few pretty good works, but he also gets a bit crazy for me in most of his music. Overall I've had trouble getting in to much of the contemporary classical. I find that in many ways it's like modern art: too much focus on experimentation and pushing the boundaries, and not enough focus on making the work enjoyable to listen to/look at. I would love to get into more modern music though!!

I know little to nothing on the topic but I really enjoy Jon Brion, Vangelis and Garry Schyman's work. Perhaps it's a little too hip to include him but I also really appreciate John Williams' contributions, particularly Marion's Theme in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Ruckus, you've just made me a small fan of Tyondai Braxton Have to admit I had the same worry redrobin expressed, but that went away as I listened! Thank you for introducing me

As for contemporary composers, if you're talking about on the modernism side of things, I'll have to cite Schoenberg, John Cage, and Louis Andriessen as influences. The tonal (but still classical) side of things would be Philip Glass, John Adams, Isaac Shepard, and a whole lot more, while the film side includes John Powell

Trent Reznor

I'm listening to the Tyondai Braxton now. At least the music is tonal and without dissonance. I appreciate it. Reminds me of early 70's progressive music like Genesis, Yes, Camel, King Crimson and Frank Zappa.

I love glass and cage....

walter chesnut jr. is a modern composer who is very tonal(son of the great trumpet player)
leo brouwer is a composer,conductor and performer.i heard some great u tubes of not only his work but of him playing the bach chaconne.
and of coarse my favorite modern composer,benjamin love