Nico Muhly

Nico Muhly, born August 26, 1981 in Vermont, is an American composer of contemporary music associated with the minimalist music revival.

Nico Muhly is the son of Bunny Harvey, a painter and professor at Wellesley College, and Frank Muhly, a documentary film maker. He grew up in Providence where he sang in the Episcopal Church choir and began playing piano at the age of 10. He then moved to New York to study English literature at Columbia University in 2003 and received his Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School where he studied composition with John Corigliano and Christopher Rouse. He has since resided in Chinatown.

He works as an editor, ensemble leader, and soloist with Philip Glass as well as with the singer Björk on Oceania in 2004. He also collaborates with choreographer Benjamin Millepied for the music of the ballet From Here on Out for the American Ballet Theater in 2007 as well as for Two Hearts in 2012 for the New York City Ballet. In 2009, he worked with the New York band Grizzly Bear on their album Veckatimest and Antony and the Johnsons on the album The Crying Light. He released his first solo album in 2006 and a second one Mothertongue in 2008.

In 2007, the Boston Pop's and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra premiered two of his works (Wish You Were Here and Step Team respectively). In 2011, he premiered his opera written with librettist Craig Lucas with the English National Opera.

Muhly contributed to the 2018 re-recording of David Bowie's 1987 album Never Let Me Down.