Eliane Radigue

by Joslyn Layne   Electronic composer Eliane Radigue has created lovely, meditative works based on Tibetan Buddhism using tape and an Arp synthesizer. After studying electro-acoustic music under Pierre Henry and Pierre Schaeffer in the late '50s, the Parisian learned to play the piano and harp and delved into classical music. She spent one year (1967-68) as Pierre Henry's assistant, one (1970-71) at New York University, then spent some time in residency at universities including California Institute of the Arts in the early '70s. By this time, Radigue was making her music with tape and an Arp synthesizer. After converting to Tibetan Buddhism in 1975, she took a four-year hiatus from music. The French composer's works have since included compositions for ballet and commissioned works on the life of Milarepa, an influential Tibetan poet and saint.