What is Julius Eastman?
{{Orphan|date=May 2009}} '''Julius Eastman''' (October 27, 1940 – May 28, 1990) was an American [[composer]], [[pianist]], and [[singer]]. He was a [[Minimalism|minimalist]]. ==Life and Work== Eastman grew up in [[Ithaca, New York|Ithaca]], [[New York (state)|New York]]. He began piano at age 14. He studied piano at the [[Curtis Institute of Music]], with [[Mieczyslaw Horszowski]] and [[Musical composition|composition]] with [[Constant Vauclain]]. In December 1966, he made his debut in New York at The Town Hall concert theatre, playing mostly his own compositions. <ref>{{Cite web|last=Huizman|first=Tom|date=21 June 2021|title=Julius Eastman, A Misunderstood Composer, Returns To The Light|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2021/06/21/1007150496/julius-eastman-a-misunderstood-composer-returns-to-the-light|access-date=18 February 2024|website=NPR}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite book|title=Gay Guerrilla: Julius Eastman and his Music|last=Levine-Packer|first=Renée|last2=Leach|first2=Mary Jane|publisher=University of Rochester Press|year=2015}}</ref> In 1970, Eastman joined the Center for the Creative and Performing Arts at [[SUNY Buffalo]], where he met the [[Czech Republic|Czech]]-born composer, [[Conductor (music)|conductor]], and [[flute]] player [[Petr Kotik]]. Eastman and Kotik played together in the early to mid 1970s. Eastman was a maker of the [[S.E.M. Ensemble]]. From 1971 he performed and traveled with the group. In 1974, Eastman was nominated for a [[Grammy Award|Grammy award]] for his vocal performance of ''Eight Songs for a Mad King'' by [[Peter Maxwell Davies]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Huizenga|first=Tom|date=21 June 2021|title=Julius Eastman, A Misunderstood Composer, Returns To The Light|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2021/06/21/1007150496/julius-eastman-a-misunderstood-composer-returns-to-the-light|access-date=18 February 2024|website=NPR}}</ref> He died alone in [[Millard Fillmore Hospital]] in [[Buffalo, New York]] of [[heart]] problems. No attention was given to his death unt