Northrop, Liquid Music and the Walker Art Center Present
“Koyaanisqatsi” With The Philip Glass Ensemble
Film Screening With Live Score
Tuesday, March 9, 7 p.m.
2026-27 Northrop Season
“Koyaanisqatsi” (koy-ahn-iss-KOT-see), from the Hopi language, translates roughly to “life out of balance” or “state of life that calls for another way of living.”
This extraordinary experience melds film and live music for an immersive, wordless portrait of the relationship between nature, humanity and technology. In a special 40th-anniversary return engagement of this mesmerizing event, The Philip Glass Ensemble (PGE) performs the groundbreaking Philip Glass soundtrack live while the pioneering 1982 film “Koyaanisqatsi” unfurls on the screen. Without dialogue or narration, “Koyaanisqatsi” relies entirely on powerful imagery and the hypnotic, propulsive score to convey its vision. Through time-lapse photography, slow motion and juxtaposed imagery, the film captures the beauty and turbulence of the modern world, moving from vast landscapes to the frenetic pace of urban life.
Upon its release, “Koyaanisqatsi” became a landmark in experimental cinema and is credited with influencing generations of filmmakers and visual artists. “Koyaanisqatsi” lets you experience the acceleration and density of modern society in a new way, inviting you to consider the challenges of technology and the notion of progress in the world — a world out of balance. The score is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential film soundtracks of the last century.
The Philip Glass Ensemble comprises the principal performers of the music of Philip Glass, who founded the PGE in 1968 in New York City. Its purpose was to develop a performance practice to meet the unprecedented technical and artistic demands of his compositions, and its members remain inimitable interpreters of his work.
Top image: The Philip Glass Ensemble. Photo © Ryuhei Shindo.
Related Links, Quotes & Reviews
- The Philip Glass Ensemble website
- Philip Glass website
- “Koyaanisqatsi” Official Trailer on YouTube
- “Koyaanisqatsi” IMDb page
“The PGE represents the most authentic performance practice of my music in our time. I am looking forward to championing them as they carry it forward and bring its unique repertoire to new generations.” — Philip Glass
“A vibrant exhibition of genius.” — Philip Glass Ensemble review from The Guardian
“Glass’ score, alternately mournful and frenetic, illuminates [the film's] vision and is more commentary than accompaniment.” — Music Review from The New York Times
Film: "Koyaanisqatsi," Essay on U.S. — Review from The New York Times, Sept. 14, 1983
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You might enjoy this performance if you love(d):
- “Koyaanisqatsi” Live with Philip Glass copresented with the Walker Art Center in 1987
- “Koyaanisqatsi” at Northrop in 2017 (film only)
- Twyla Tharp Dance Diamond Jubilee Featuring Third Coast Percussion
- Susan Marshall Dance Company in 2001
- Lyon Opera Ballet
- Third Coast Percussion with Movement Art Is
- Sun Dogs: Filmmaker and Composer Pairings With Alarm Will Sound
- Dracula: The Music and Film with Philip Glass and Kronos Quartet in 2000
- Philip Glass at Ted Mann Concert Hall in April 1994
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Know Before You Go
Event Information
- Seating: Reserved
- Performance Begins: 7 p.m.
- Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
- Pick 3 or More Events and Save
If you need assistance, please call 612-624-2345, email umntix@umn.edu.
Planning Your Visit
Learn More — Explore These Themes
The content below derives from the Northrop Across Campus Program that supports Northrop’s mission toward cultivating intersections between performing arts and education for the benefit of all participants now and for generations to come.
Find ways to make thematic connections to these suggested topics:
- Film: Experimental
- Music After 1945
- Musical Minimalisms
- Environmental Justice
- Ecology
- Urban Planning
Dive deeper with these resources that provide additional information about the performers, the history of the art form and the artistic process.
Video: “‘Koyaanisqatsi’ Official Trailer #1 - Ted Koppel Movie (1982)”
“Koyaanisqatsi” — Philip Glass website
Essay: “‘The Qatsi Trilogy’: Counterpoint and Harmony” — The Criterion Collection
“Four Musical Minimalists: La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass” — Cambridge University Press
Godfrey Reggio Foundation website
Video: “Godfrey Reggio Discusses the Folly of AI”
Video: “Masterclass: Godfrey Reggio (in English) | Ji.hlava IDFF 2014”
“Life Out of Balance // An interview with Godfrey Reggio” — The Great Northern
“If you think you know who Philip Glass is, you probably don’t.: David Bowie, “Appomattox” and “The Hours”: Philip Glass’ many facets.” — The Washington Post (Access via UMN Libraries)
Video: “Philip Glass Ensemble Koyaanisqatsi Live: The Grid (excerpt)”
Video: “Composing Myself: Philip Glass”
“‘Koyaanisqatsi’: The Dislocation of Feeling” — Jung Journal (Access via UMN Libraries)
Start a conversation about the performance or encourage reflection, using these questions as inspiration.
“Koyaanisqatsi,” Godfrey Reggio’s debut as a film director and producer, was released in 1983 as the first film of “The Qatsi Trilogy.” Reggio, who spent 14 years in silence and prayer while studying to be a monk, explores a rapidly changing world through visual images and a haunting score provided by renowned composer Philip Glass. The film — which does not contain any dialogue — chronicles the impact of the modern world on the environment.
- What unique techniques could a director or editor use to employ narrative and meaning in a wordless film?
- How does silence and empty space change the role of the score in a film?
According to an interview with The Great Northern, Reggio originally wanted to use a visual for the title of his languageless film rather than a word but eventually conceded. “I wanted a word that had no baggage culturally — a word that had more profundity than our own language.” The word he chose was “koyaanisqatsi,” meaning “life out of balance.” The word originates from the Hopi language and was borrowed from his friend, David Monongye, a Hopi Native American traditional leader and healer.
- How does language impact our relationship to the environment?
- What role can film play in addressing colonialism, global ecocide and climate change?
In Marita Delaney’s article “‘Koyaanisqatsi’: The Dislocation of Feeling,” she explores the contemporary impact of the film, saying, “Simultaneously beautiful and catastrophic, the images of civilization’s decay remind us of humanity’s unconscious anxiety about apocalypse. We are compelled to realize that our world could be overwhelmed by a tsunami of internal destructive forces, as remaining unaffected by the countless outer images portrayed by the media of global warming and ecological catastrophe becomes more difficult.”
- How does film affect perception of our environment, ourselves and our communities?
- Is it necessary for art to be beautiful? Why or why not?
- Does our distance to catastrophe, whether perceptual or physical, affect our ability to engage with it from an artistic perspective? If so, how?
Acknowledgments
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
The Philip Glass Ensemble is the exclusive performer of its repertoire. Please note that Philip Glass will not be performing as part of this concert.
By special arrangement with Philip Glass and Dunvagen Music Publishers, Inc.
The Philip Glass Ensemble is represented by Devi Reddy of Park Avenue Artists.
About the Liquid Music | Northrop Series
Expand your idea of how music flows through contemporary dance, film and beyond. The Liquid Music | Northrop Series brings boundary-pushing works to the Northrop stage. Immerse yourself in these dynamic performances from exceptional collaborations.
