1925	born on 26 March in Montbrison, Loire, France
	receives first piano lessons; attends high school in Montbrison, later in Saint Étienne
1941	takes prepartory mathematics courses in Lyon for the entrance examination of the École Polytechnique in Paris
1942	decides to pursue a profession in music; moves to Paris
1944	participates in Olivier Messiaen’s harmony class at the Paris Conservatory
1945	takes lessons in counterpoint with Andrée Vaurabourg-Honegger, in composition with Messiaen, and in twelvetone technique with René Leibowitz
1946-1955	responsible for stage music at the Renaud/Barrault Theatre Company
From 1950	compositions performed in Paris and in Donaueschingen
1954	founds the "Concerts du Petit-Marigny" under the patronage of the Renaud/Barrault Company, renamed "Domaine Musical" in 1955
1955-1960	gives analysis courses at the International Summer Courses in Darmstadt
1955	Le Marteau sans Maître première conducted by Hans Rosbaud in Baden-Baden
1957	performs his 3. Piano Sonata in Darmstadt
1958	première in Hamburg of two Improvisations sur Mallarmé; together with Improvisation III, Tombeau and Don they comprise the orchestra work Pli selon pli - Portrait de Mallarmé, completed in 1962
From 1960	gives analysis and composition courses in Basel
1963	guest professorship at Harvard University; increased conducting activity
1966	first conducts in Bayreuth (Parsifal); conducts Tristan and Isolde in Japan
1967-1972	regularly conducts the Cleveland Orchestra; Gilbert Amy takes over leadership of the Domaine Musical concert series
1969-1975	principle conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra
1970-1977	principle conductor New York Philharmonic Orchestra;
	plans the IRCAM in Paris
1976	founds the "ensemble intercontemporain" in Paris
	conducts Wagner’s Ring cycle in Bayreuth directed by Patrice Chéreau (till 1980)
1977	IRCAM opens its doors, which Boulez directs until 1991
1979	première at the Paris Opera of Alban Berg's Lulu as completed by Friedrich Cerha; Ernst von Siemens Music Prize
1980	French National Award of Merit
1989	Ring of Honor of the City of Vienna
1991	honarary doctorate from the University of Frankfurt
1992	Theodor W. Adorno Prize of the City of Frankfurt
1996	Ring of Honor of the City of Vienna
1997	world premiere of Anthèmes 2 at Donaueschingen
1998	Honorary Doctorate from Connecticut College;
	world premiere of sur Incises in Edinburgh
1999	world premiere of Notations VII in Chicago;
2000	Numerous concerts throughout the world in honor of his 75th birthday (London, New York, Paris, Vienna)
	Winner of the 2000 Grammy Award Category "Classical Contemporary Composition" for Répons
	Israeli Wolf Prize for the Arts