Claude Vivier

Claude Vivier, a Canadian composer, pianist, poet, and ethnomusicologist, created a vast and diverse musical language despite leaving behind a small oeuvre. Known for integrating Balinese music and gamelan into Western compositions, his themes often reflected loneliness and search for love. Vivier's personal struggles with identity and ostracization fueled his avant-garde style, including the use of multilingual vocal music and invented languages. His life was tragically cut short by murder in Paris, becoming a symbol for the LGBT community.