Philip Glass presents “An Evening of Chamber Music” in Lawrence.

Knock knock.

Who’s there?

Knock knock.

Who’s there?

Knock knock.

Who’s there?

Philip Glass.

It certainly says something about how influential a composer has become when he merits his own knock-knock joke.

Known for his cyclical song structures that rely on repetitive, arpeggio-heavy arrangements, Philip Glass is arguably the most renowned contemporary composer of the past few decades.

This can be credited to a combination of his prolificacy and diversity. Glass’ range has extended to symphonies, operas, musical theater, concertos, string quartets and dozens of film soundtracks. He’s not only a three-time Oscar nominee (for scoring “Notes on a Scandal,” “The Hours” and “Kundun”), but he also holds the distinction of being the only composer to ever appear as the featured musical guest on “Saturday Night Live.”

“I’m thrown into the world of collaboration constantly,” says Glass, calling from his home in New York.

“That’s not true of people who just write concert music, because they never have to do that. And the inspiration of their music comes from some other place, the language of music or the history of music. The inspiration of what I do comes from other people’s work, whether it’s images or movement.”

The 72-year-old artist will return to Lawrence for a performance titled “An Evening of Chamber Music,” where he will be joined by cellist Wendy Sutter and percussionist Mick Rossi.

The Lied Center show is a makeup date from last year due to an injury you suffered. What exactly happened that made you cancel?

One of my children had jumped into my arms and bent my finger back. I thought I had sprained it, but I had torn a ligament. I actually began playing about two months later, but it messed up the schedule a little bit. It was kind of traumatic because I had never been sidelined by something that seemed so minor.

Q: What’s the most misunderstood aspect about being a composer?

A: The biggest misunderstanding is how we actually make a living. But that’s more of a personal concern than a general one. Composers are most of the time figuring out two things: How do they get people to listen to their music, and how do they get people to support them? A lot of us composers end up in academic situations because it takes care of that problem. Unfortunately, it tends to separate the composer from the immediacy of a contemporary art world.

Q: After watching Scott Hicks’ recent “Glass” documentary, did you learn anything new about yourself?

A: I have trouble watching movies about myself. Believe it or not, I’ve been the subject of one documentary a decade for four decades. I don’t know them very well. I’m there when they’re being made, of course. But when they’re done, it becomes something else to me. It’s like someone looking at themselves in a mirror. For some people, it can be fun; for many of us, it’s awkward.

Q: Are there other words besides “minimalist” that you equally dislike hearing applied to describe your music?

A: I never use that term myself. It is an important part of what I’ve done. But most of that work was done in the ’70s. People ask me what kind of music I write, and I tell them I write theater music, and that has the virtue of being truthful. I write operas, ballets, film music — 85 percent of the stuff I do is connected to the theater. It’s the four elements: text, movement, image and music. I don’t really write concert music, though in fact that is what I’m playing mostly in Kansas.

Q: What’s a film score that has impressed you lately?

A: The Bernard Herrmann scores are beautiful. Just in the last few years I reviewed those scores. I didn’t really know them that well. People always said, “You sound like Bernard,” and I didn’t know what they meant. So I decided to go back and listen to them, and I was really impressed that he could “get away with that.” Like “Vertigo” was a beautiful score. He was an astonishing writer.

Q: How do you feel about a film like “Watchmen” that incorporates music that you wrote for previous films into its own score?

A: I haven’t seen it yet. I talked to the director (Zack Snyder) recently. He’s a young guy, and he said, “When I was in film school, every student film I made I used your music.” I said, “I guess this is the payback.” But what do I think about it? People are using my music all the time, so I’m very happy when people use my music and they pay for it. Whether I like it or don’t like it, what’s the difference?

Q: When was the first time you started actually making a living from music?

A: I was 41. I remember exactly when it happened because I got a commission from the Netherlands Opera to write “Satyagraha.” It was 1978, and I was living in New York. I didn’t know that was going to be the end of my day job. There was no announcement in the paper that told me that. I still had a cab license, and I renewed it for another three years.

Q: So you were driving a taxi in New York all during the period Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” was set?

A: That came up when I was working with Marty on “Kundun.” He was talking about his movies — he always talked about his movies — and he stopped and looked at me kind of incredulously and said, “Have you not seen ‘Taxi Driver?'” I said, “Marty, when you made that movie I was a taxi driver. Do you think I would go see a movie about a taxi driver on my night off?” He said he’d throw a special screening for me, which he promptly forgot. Then about six or seven years later I was in an airplane and they were showing classic movies, so I watched it. Let’s just say from an emotional point of view, it was extremely accurate.

Q: Are you familiar with the Philip Glass knock-knock joke?

A: Oh yeah. I heard that some time ago. But there’s a number of cartoons and a “South Park” episode and a “Simpsons” also. I’m immensely flattered that a composer of so-called art music can be made fun of in public in a way in which the assumption is people would know who he is.

Q: Do have any strong memories of performing in Lawrence?

A: My most memorable ones were an evening I shared with Virgil Thompson. And we did the William Burroughs tribute, which was a rerun of the Nova Convention. … I’ve done many concerts there. I was so happy when that huge monster auditorium went away. I remember when (the former Lied Center director) called me up and said, “Hoch Auditorium was struck by lightning, and it burned to the ground.” I said, “Sounds like an act of God to me.”