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Lou Harrison

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Lou Harrison (May 14, 1917 - February 2, 2003) was an American composer.

Harrison is particularly noted for incorporating elements of the music of other cultures into his work, with a number of pieces featuring traditional Indonesian gamelan instruments, and several more featuring versions of them made out of tin cans and other materials. A number of his works are written in just intonation rather than the more widespread equal temperament, making Harrison one of the most prominent composers to have worked with microtones.

Harrison was born in Portland, Oregon, and studied with Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg among others. He died in Lafayette, Indiana from a heart attack while on his way to a festival of his music at Ohio State University.