American Composers

First black soloist to sing with the Metropolitian Opera of New York City

20th century composer known for his Adagio for Strings, Knoxville: Summer of 1915, and Antony and Cleopatra- he won the 1958 Pulitzer Prize for his opera Vanessa and the 1956 Pulitzer for his Piano Concerto No. 1

20th century Russian born songwriter
Born Israel Baline
Known for: Alexander's Ragtime Band, God Bless America, and White Christmas

20th-century composer, conductor, and pianist known for his musical West
Side Story, his ballet Fancy Free, and his Mass; the first American to conduct
a major orchestra and the youngest ever to lead the New York Philharmonic

20th-century avant-garde composer of Suite for the Toy Piano who used flower
pots, coffee cans, and other found objects as instruments in his compositions
and is famous for his 4'33'', in which the performer makes no sound

New York City-born opera singer of Greek heritage noted for her fiery temperament,
who gave up her U.S. citizenship in 1966 to become a Greek citizen

20th-century showman best remembered for such songs as “The Yankee
Doodle Boy,” “Give My Regards to Broadway,” and “Over There”

20th-century composer known for his ballets Appalachian Spring (a 1945
Pulitzer Prize winner), Billy the Kid, and Rodeo, and for his orchestral work
Fanfare for the Common Man

19th-century composer known for “Camptown Races,” “Old Folks at Home,” and “Oh! Susanna”

20th-century composer of Rhapsody in Blue, a work combining jazz and classical music, An American in Paris, and the music to the opera Porgy and Bess

20th-century minimalist composer known for his operas Einstein on the
Beach, Satyagraha, Akhanaten, and The Voyage

20th-century composer best known for orchestrating Gershwin’s Rhapsody in
Blue and composing The Grand Canyon Suite to express an American locale

20th-century folk singer, guitarist, and composer who wrote over 1,000
songs, mainly on social and political themes, and is best-known for “This
Land Is Your Land”

20th-century lyricist and librettist who collaborated on many musicals, especially
with Richard Rodgers on Oklahoma! (a special 1944 Pulitzer citation
winner), South Pacific (a 1950 Pulitzer Prize winner in drama), The King and
I, The Flower Drum Song, and The Sound of Music

20th-century Lithuanian-born violinist known for his virtuoso technique

20th-century composer whose Symphony No. 3 won the 1947 Pulitzer Prize

20th-century Italian-born composer who won 2 Pulitzer Prizes for music, one
in 1950 for The Consul and the other in 1955 for The Saint of Bleecker Street,
and is also known for his TV opera Amahl and the Night Visitors

20th-century composer and lyricist whose musicals include Kiss Me, Kateand Can- Can and whose songs include “Begin the Beguine” and “Let’s Do It

20th-century composer who with Lorenz Hart wrote the musicals The Girl
Friend and Pal Joey and with Oscar Hammerstein Oklahoma!, South Pacific,
The King and I, The Flower Drum Song, and The Sound of Music

20th-century Polish-born concert pianist famous for his interpretations of Chopin

19th-20th century bandmaster and composer who is known as the “March
King” and wrote “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and “Semper Fidelis”

20th-century Russian-born violinist who won the 1981 Academy Award for a
documentary film of his 1979 tour of China

20th-century conductor who led the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1912 to
1935 and directed it in the animated film Fantasia

20th-century composer known for the opera Four Saints in Three Acts and
for winning the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Louisiana Story

20th-century German-American composer who wrote The Threepenny Opera

20th-century composer who wrote the official theme songs for the 1984, ‘88,
‘96, and 2002 Olympic Games and the music for the films E.T. and Star Wars