Tristan Murail, born in Le Havre in 1947, studied classical and North African Arabic languages as well as economics alongside his musical training. From 1967, he was a student of Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1971, he received the Prix de Rome and later a first prize for composition. He spent two years at the Villa Medici in Rome. After his return, he founded the ensemble L'Itinéraire in 1973, which became known for its work with instrumental techniques and live electronics. In the 1980s, Murail turned to computer-aided composition and worked closely with Ircam, where he also taught from 1991 to 1997. In 1997, he became Professor of Composition at Columbia University in New York, where he taught until 2010. Since returning to Europe, he has given masterclasses worldwide and has been a guest professor at the Mozarteum Salzburg and currently at the Shanghai Conservatory.