List of American composers

This is a list of American composers, alphabetically sorted by surname, then by other names. It is by no means complete. It is not limited by classifications such as genre or time period — however it includes only music composers of significant fame, notability or importance. Some further composers are included in Category:American composers.

A

• Mark Adamo (born 1962)
• John Adams (born 1947)
• John Luther Adams (born 1953)
• H. Leslie Adams (born 1932)
• Samuel Adler (born 1928)
• Bruce Adolphe (born 1955)
• James Aikman (born 1959) ([1])
• Stephen Albert (1941–1992)
• Arturo Alvarez
• Beth Anderson (born 1950)
• Leroy Anderson (1908–1975)
• T. J. Anderson (born 1928)
• John Antes (1740–1811)
• George Antheil (1900–1959)
• Alfredo Antonini (1901–1983)
• Frederic Archer (1838–1901)
• Dominick Argento (born 1927)
• Harold Arlen (1905–1986)
• Jeff Arwady
• Robert Ashley (born 1930)
• Larry Austin (born 1930)
• Frederick Ayres (1876–1926)

B

• Milton Babbitt (1916–2011
• Burt Bacharach (born 1928)
• Ernst Bacon (1898–1990)
• David Baker (born 1931)
• Robert Baksa (born 1938) ([2], [3])
• Leonardo Balada (born 1933)
• George Barati (1913–1996) (de:George Barati, [4] [5])
• Samuel Barber (1910–1981)
• Wayne Barlow (1912–1996)
• Matthew Barnson (born 1979)
• Marion Bauer (1882–1955)
• Amy Beach (1867–1944)
• Robert Beadell (1925–1994)
• Robert Beaser (born 1954)
• Jeremy Beck (born 1960)
• Johann H. Beck (1856–1924)
• John J. Becker (1886–1961)
• René-Louis Becker (1882–1956) ([6])
• Jack Beeson (1921–2010)
• Supply Belcher (1751–1836)
• Robert Russell Bennett (1894–1981)
• Arthur Berger (1912–2003)
• Jonathan Berger (born 1954)
• William Bergsma (1921–1994)
• Irving Berlin (1888–1989)
• Derek Bermel (born 1967)
• Elmer Bernstein (1922–2004)
• Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990)
• William Billings (1746–1800)
• Phillip Bimstein (born 1947)
• Seth Bingham (1882–1972)
• Arthur H. Bird (1856–1923)
• Easley Blackwood, Jr. (born 1933)
• Eubie Blake (1883–1983)
• William Burdine Blake, Sr. (1852–1938)
• Marc Blitzstein (1905–1964)
• Ernest Bloch (1880–1959)
• Dušan Bogdanović (born 1955)
• William Bolcom (born 1938)
• Margaret Bonds (1913–1972)
• Francis Boott (1813–1904)
• David Borden (born 1938)
• Benjamin Boretz (born 1934)
• Paul Bowles (1910–1999)
• Henry Brant (1913–2008)
• Joseph Carl Breil (1870–1926)
• Roger Briggs (born 1952)
• George Frederick Bristow (1825–1898)
• Howard Brockway (1870–1951)
• Earle Brown (1926–2002)
• Dave Brubeck (born 1920)
• George Brunner (born 1951)
• Mark Bucci (1924–2002)
• Dudley Buck (1839–1909)
• Harold Budd (born 1936)
• Frederick Field Bullard (1864–1904) (de:Frederick Field Bullard, [7])
• Cecil Burleigh (1885–1980) ([8])
• Harry Burleigh (1866–1949)

C

• Curt Cacioppo (born 1951)
• Charles Wakefield Cadman (1881–1946)
• John Cage (1912–1992)
• Robert Carl (born 1954)
• John Alden Carpenter (1876–1951)
• Benjamin Carr (1768–1831)
• Elliott Carter (born 1908)
• Kristopher Carter (born 1972)
• Romeo Cascarino (1922–2002)
• George Whitefield Chadwick (1854–1931)
• Chen Yi (born 1953)
• Paul Chihara (born 1938)
• F. Melius Christiansen (1871–1955)
• Paul J. Christiansen (1914–1997)
• Avery Claflin (1898–1979)
• Rene Clausen (born 1953)
• Gloria Coates (born 1938)
• Louis Coerne (1870–1922)
• Robert Cogan (born 1930)
• James Cohn (born 1928)
• Edward Joseph Collins (1886–1951)
• Edward T. Cone (1917–2004)
• Zez Confrey (1895–1971)
• Sylvia Constantinidis (born 1962)
• David Conte (born 1955)
• Charles Crozat Converse (1832–1918)
• Frederick Converse (1871–1940)
• Will Marion Cook (1869–1944)
• Carson Cooman (born 1982) (nl:Carson Cooman, [9])
• Aaron Copland (1900–1990)
• Carmine Coppola (1910–1991)
• John Corigliano (born 1938)
• Henry Cowell (1897–1965)
• John Craton (born 1953)
• Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901–1953)
• Noah Creshevsky (born 1945)
• Paul Creston (1906–1985)
• David Crumb (born 1962)
• George Crumb (born 1929)
• Conrad Cummings (born 1948)
• Alvin Curran (born 1938)
• Sebastian Currier (born 1959)
• Hoyt Curtin (1922–2000)

D

• Walter Damrosch (1862–1950)
• Joseph Dangerfield (born 1977)
• Richard Danielpour (born 1956)
• Michael Daugherty (born 1954)
• Mario Davidovsky (born 1934)
• Don Davis (born 1957)
• Katherine K. Davis (1892–1980)
• Reginald De Koven (1859–1920)
• Edmond Dédé (1827–1903)
• David Del Tredici (born 1937)
• Norman Dello Joio (1913–2008)
• James Di Pasquale (born 1941)
• David Diamond (1915–2005)
• Clarence Dickinson (1873–1969) (de:Clarence Dickinson, [10])
• Lawrence Dillon (born 1959)
• Charles Dodge (born 1942)
• Daniel Dorff (born 1956)
• Celius Dougherty (1902–1986)
• John Thomas Douglass (1847–1886)
• John W. Downey (1927–2004)
• Deborah Drattell (born 1956)
• Paul Dresher (born 1951)
• Jacob Druckman (1928–1996)
• William Duckworth (born 1943)
• John Woods Duke (1899–1984)
• Vernon Duke (1903–1969)
• Henry Morton Dunham (1853–1929) ([11]
• David Dzubay (born 1964) ([12])

E

• Dennis Eberhard (1943–2005)
• Cecil Effinger (1914–1990)
• Henry Eichheim (1870–1942)
• Danny Elfman (born 1953)
• Duke Ellington (1899–1974)
• Abraham Ellstein (1907–1963)
• Donald Erb (1927–2008)
• Robert Erickson (1917–1997)
• Pozzi Escot (born 1933)
• Alvin Etler (1913–1973)
• Ralph Evans (born 1953)
• Eric Ewazen (born 1954)

F

• Blair Fairchild (1877–1933)
• Mohammed Fairouz (born 1985)
• Richard Faith (born 1926)
• Arthur Farwell (1872–1952)
• Morton Feldman (1926–1987)
• Jim Ferguson (born 1948)
• Richard Festinger (born 1948)
• Paul Fetler (born 1920) ([13], it:Paul Fetler)
• Henry Fillmore (1881–1956)
• Irving Fine (1914–1963)
• Vivian Fine (1913–2000)
• Ross Lee Finney (1906–1997)
• C. P. First (born 1960)
• Nicolas Flagello (1928–1994)
• Carlisle Floyd (born 1926)
• Adolph M. Foerster (1854–1927) ([14], [15])
• Arthur Foote (1853–1937)
• Lukas Foss (1922–2009)
• Stephen Foster (1826–1864)
• Frederick A. Fox (born 1931)
• Gabriela Lena Frank (born 1972)
• Harry Lawrence Freeman (1869–1954)
• Alexander Frey (born 1972)
• William Henry Fry (1813–1864)
• Kenneth Fuchs (born 1956)
• Charles Fussell (born 1938) ([16])

G

• Nancy Galbraith (born 1951)
• Jack Gallagher (born 1947)
• Michael Gandolfi (born 1956)
• Kyle Gann (born 1955)
• J. Ryan Garber (born 1973)
• Daniel E. Gawthrop (born 1949)
• Steven Gerber (born 1948)
• George Gershwin (1898–1937)
• Michael Giacchino (born 1967)
• Vittorio Giannini (1903–1966)
• Miriam Gideon (1906–1996)
• William Gilchrist (1846–1916)
• Don Gillis (1912–1978)
• Patrick Gilmore (1829–1892)
• Janice Giteck (born 1946)
• Philip Glass (born 1937)
• Frederick Grant Gleason (1848–1903)
• Roger Goeb (1914–1997)
• Joel Goffin (born 1981)
• Rubin Goldmark (1872–1936)
• Jerry Goldsmith (1929–2004)
• David Gompper (born 1954) ([17], [18])
• Michael Gordon (born 1956)
• Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829–1869)
• Morton Gould (1913–1996)
• Percy Grainger (1882–1961)
• Jay Greenberg (born 1991)
• Robert Greenberg (born 1954)
• Mark Gresham (born 1956)
• Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884–1920)
• Gérard Grisey (1946–1998)
• Ferde Grofé (1892–1972)
• Louis Gruenberg (1884–1964)
• Mark Gustavson (born 1959)
• Woody Guthrie (1912–1967)

H

• Henry Kimball Hadley (1871–1937)
• Richard Hageman (1881–1966)
• Daron Hagen (born 1961)
• Alexei Haieff (1914–1994)
• Adolphus Hailstork (born 1941)
• Roger Lee Hall (born 1942)
• Howard Hanson (1896–1981)
• John Harbison (born 1938)
• Don L. Harper
• Kevin F. Harris (born 1965)
• Roy Harris (1898–1979)
• Victor Harris (1869–1943)
• Lou Harrison (1917–2003)
• Stephen Hartke (born 1952)
• Walter Hartley (born 1927)
• James Hartway (born 1944) ([19], nl:James Hartway)
• Samuel Hazo (born 1966)
• Hubert Klyne Headley (1906–1996)
• Neal Hefti (1922–2008)
• Jake Heggie (born 1961)
• Anthony Philip Heinrich (1781–1861)
• Robert Helps (1928–2001)
• Victor Herbert (1859–1924)
• Bernard Herrmann (1911–1975)
• Michael Hersch (born 1971)
• James Hewitt (1770–1827)
• Jennifer Higdon (born 1962)
• Edward Burlingame Hill (1872–1960)
• Lee Hoiby (1926–2011)
• Oliver Holden (1765–1844)
• Sidney Homer (c. 1864 – 1953)
• Alan Hovhaness (1911–2000)
• James Newton Howard (born 1951)
• Huang Ruo (born 1976)
• Richard Hundley (born 1931)
• Karel Husa (born 1921)
• Henry Holden Huss (1862–1953)
• Jason Kao Hwang (born 1957)

I

• Andrew Imbrie (1921–2007)
• Charles Ives (1874–1954)

J

• Steve Jablonsky (born 1970)
• Frederick Jacobi (1891–1952)
• Stephen Jaffe (born 1954)
• Philip James (1890–1975)
• David C. Johnson (born 1940)
• David N. Johnson (1922–1987)
• James P. Johnson (1894–1955)
• Tom Johnson (born 1939)
• Ben Johnston (born 1926)
• Edwin Arthur Jones (1853–1911)
• Ron Jones (born 1954)
• Samuel Jones (born 1935)
• Scott Joplin (1868–1917)
• Bradley Joseph (born 1965)

K

• Božidar Kantušer (1921–1999)
• Leonard Kastle (1929–2011)
• Ulysses Kay (1917–1995)
• Brian Kelly (born 1960)
• Edgar Stillman Kelley (1857–1944)
• Martin Kennedy (born 1978)
• Jerome Kern (1885–1945)
• Aaron Jay Kernis (born 1960)
• Earl Kim (1920–1998)
• Karl King (1891–1971)
• Leon Kirchner (1919–2009)
• Joseph Klein (born 1962) ([20])
• Edward Knight (born 1961)
• Charles Knox (born 1929)
• Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897–1957)
• Eddie Kendricks (1939–1992)
• Ellis B. Kohs (1916–2000)
• Ben Kopec (born 1981)
• Ernst Krenek (1900–1991)
• Gail Kubik (1914–1984)
• Jean Paul Kürsteiner (1864–1943)
• Robert Kyr (born 1952)

L

• Frank La Forge (1879–1953)
• John La Montaine (born 1920)
• Ezra Laderman (born 1924)
• Lori Laitman (born 1955)
• Joseph Lamb (1887–1960)
• Charles Lucien Lambert (1828–1896)
• Lucien Lambert, Jr. (1858–1945) ([21], [22])
• Benjamin Johnson Lang (1837–1909)
• David Lang (born 1957)
• Margaret Ruthven Lang (1867–1972)
• Vanessa Lann (born 1968)
• Paul Lansky (born 1944)
• Libby Larsen (born 1950)
• Morten Lauridsen (born 1943)
• Benjamin Lees (1924–2010)
• David Leisner (born 1953)
• James Lentini (born 1958)
• Jonathan Leshnoff (born 1973) (nl:Jonathan Leshnoff, [23])
• Frank Lewin (1925–2008)
• Peter Scott Lewis (born 1953)
• Tania León (born 1943)
• Fred Lerdahl (born 1943)
• Paul Alan Levi (born 1941)
• Marvin David Levy (born 1932)
• Lowell Liebermann (born 1961)
• Peter Lieberson (1946–2011)
• Scott Lindroth (born 1958)
• Dan Locklair (born 1949)
• Normand Lockwood (1906–2002)
• Charles Martin Loeffler (1861–1935)
• Hannibal Lokumbe (Marvin Peterson) (born 1948)
• Zhou Long (born 1953)
• Harvey Worthington Loomis (1865–1930)
• Alvin Lucier (born 1931)
• Otto Luening (1900–1996)
• Ralph Lyford (1882–1927)

M

• Edward MacDowell (1860–1908)
• Tod Machover (born 1953)
• Janet Maguire (born 1927)
• Martin Mailman (1932–2000)
• Ursula Mamlok (born 1923)
• Henry Mancini (1924–1994)
• Paul Manz (1919–2009)
• Matteo Marchisano-Adamo (born 1973)
• George W. Marston (1840–1901) ([24])
• Henry Martin (born 1950) ([25])
• Donald Martino (1931–2005)
• Salvatore Martirano (1927–1995)
• David Maslanka (born 1943)
• Daniel Gregory Mason (1873–1953)
• Lowell Mason (1792–1872)
• William Mason (1829–1908)
• Richard Maxfield (1927–1969)
• John McGuire (born 1942)
• George Frederick McKay (1899–1970)
• Kirke Mechem (born 1925)
• Harold Meltzer (born 1966)
• Alan Menken (born 1949)
• Peter Mennin (1923–1983)
• Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007)
• Gregory Mertl (born 1969)
• Edgar Meyer (born 1960)
• Eric Moe (born 1954)
• John Christopher Moller (1755–1803)
• Meredith Monk (born 1942)
• Douglas Moore (1893–1969)
• Mary Carr Moore (1873–1957)
• Undine Smith Moore (1904–1989)
• Robert Moran (born 1937)
• Paul Moravec (born 1957)
• Justin Morgan (1747–1798)
• Jerome Moross (1913–1983)
• Robert Morris (born 1943)
• Robert Muczynski (1929–2010)
• Nico Muhly (born 1981)
• Carli Muñoz (born 1948)
• John Musto (born 1954)

N

• Charles Naginski (1909–1940)
• Armen Nalbandian (born 1978)
• Conlon Nancarrow (1912–1997)
• Robert Anthony Navarro (born 1972)
• Sammy Nestico (born 1924)
• Arthur Nevin (1871–1943)
• Ethelbert Nevin (1862–1901)
• David Newman (born 1954)
• Roger Nichols (born 1940)
• Ted Nichols (born 1928)
• William Harold Niedlinger (1863–1924) ([26])
• Homer Albert Norris (1860–1920) (de:Homer Albert Norris)
• Alex North (1910–1991)

O

• Mark O'Connor (born 1961)
• Pauline Oliveros (born 1932)
• Chris Opperman (born 1978)
• Leo Ornstein (1893–2002)
• Willson Osborne (1906–1979)
• Craig Alan Owens

P

• Charles Theodore Pachelbel (1690–1750)
• John Knowles Paine (1839–1906)
• Carter Pann (born 1972)
• Horatio Parker (1863–1919)
• J. C. D. Parker (1828–1916)
• Harry Partch (1901–1974)
• Thomas Pasatieri (born 1945)
• Stephen Paulus (born 1947)
• Scott Perkins (born 1980)
• George Perle (1915–2009)
• William P. Perry (born 1930)
• Vincent Persichetti (1915–1987)
• Tobias Picker (born 1954)
• Daniel Pinkham (1923–2006)
• Walter Piston (1894–1976)
• Mika Pohjola (born 1971)
• Cole Porter (1891–1964)
• Quincy Porter (1897–1966)
• David L. Post (born 1949) ([27], [28], [29])
• Key Poulan (born 1962)
• Mel Powell (1923–1998)
• Silas G. Pratt (1846–1916)
• André Previn (born 1929)
• Florence Price (1887–1953)
• Frank Proto (born 1941)
• Kevin Puts (born 1972)

R

• Shulamit Ran (born 1949)
• Bernard Rands (born 1934)
• Carmino Ravosa (born 1930)
• Ray Reach (born 1948)
• Alfred Reed (1921–2005)
• Daniel Read (1757–1836)
• Gardner Read (1913–2005)
• Mona Lyn Reese (born 1951)
• Steve Reich (born 1936)
• Alexander Reinagle (1756–1809)
• Jay Reise (born 1950)
• Leon René (1902–1982)
• Joe Renzetti (born 1941)
• Wallingford Riegger (1885–1961)
• Terry Riley (born 1935)
• Curtis Roads (born 1951)
• Leroy Robertson (1896–1971)
• Alfred George Robyn (1860–1935) (nl:Alfred George Robyn)
• George Rochberg (1918–2005)
• Eugénie R. Rocherolle (born 1939)
• Robert Xavier Rodriguez (born 1946)
• Bernard Rogers (1893–1968)
• James Hotchkiss Rogers (1857–1940) (de:James Hotchkiss Rogers)
• James Romig (born 1971)
• Joseph Willard Roosevelt (1918–2008)
• Ned Rorem (born 1923)
• David Rosenboom (born 1947)
• Wynn-Anne Rossi (born 1956)
• Arnold Rosner (born 1945)
• Christopher Rouse (born 1949)
• Carl Ruggles (1876–1971)
• David Ruffin (1941–1991)
• Craig Russell (born 1951)
• Frederic Rzewski (born 1938)

S

4

T

• Louise Talma (1906–1996)
• David Tamkin (1906–1975)
• Jerod Tate (born 1968)
• Deems Taylor (1885–1966)
• Raynor Taylor (1747–1825)
• James Tenney (1934–2006)
• Eugene Thayer (1838–1889)
• Augusta Read Thomas (born 1964)
• Edward Thomas (born 1924) ([30])
• Randall Thompson (1899–1984)
• Robert Scott Thompson (born 1959)
• Virgil Thomson (1896–1989)
• Francis Thorne (born 1922)
• John Thow (1949–2007)
• Frank Ticheli (born 1958)
• Frederick C. Tillis (born 1930)
• Christopher Theofanidis (born 1967)
• Helen Tobias-Duesberg (1919–2010)
• Ernst Toch (1887–1964)
• Michael Torke (born 1961)
• Gonzalo de la Torre (born 1977)
• Joan Tower (born 1938)
• George Tsontakis (born 1951)
• David Tudor (1926–1996)

U

• Chinary Ung (born 1942)

V

• Frank Van der Stucken (1858–1929)
• David Van Tieghem (born 1955)
• David Van Vactor (1906–1994)
• John Verrall (1908–2001)
• Ezequiel Viñao (born 1960)
• John Vincent (1902–1977)
• Robert Voisey (born 1969)

W

• Melinda Wagner (born 1957)
• Stanley Walden (born 1932) ([31], [32])
• George Walker (born 1922)
• Stewart Wallace (born 1960)
• Joelle Wallach (born 1946)
• Robert Ward (born 1917)
• Dale Warland (born 1932)
• Harry Warren (1893–1981)
• Elinor Remick Warren (1900–1991)
• Rodney Waschka II (born 1958)
• Franz Waxman (1906–1967)
• Ben Weber (1916–1979)
• Jaromír Weinberger (1896–1967)
• Hugo Weisgall (1912–1997)
• Dan Welcher (born 1948)
• Richard Wernick (born 1934)
• Mark Wessel (1894–1973)
• Paul W. Whear (born 1925)
• Scott Wheeler (born 1952)
• Eric Whitacre (born 1970)
• Arthur Whiting (1861–1936) ([33])
• Alec Wilder (1907–1980)
• John Williams (born 1932)
• Michael Glenn Williams (born 1957)
• Otis Williams (born 1941)
• Paul Williams (born 1940)
• Richard Storrs Willis (1819–1900)
• Meredith Willson (1902–1984)
• Richard Edward Wilson (born 1941)
• Jason Wright Wingate (born 1971)
• David Winkler (born 1948) ([34], [35])
• Erling Wold (born 1958)
• Stefan Wolpe (1902–1972)
• Stevie Wonder (born 1950)
• Carl Valentin Wunderle (1866–1944)
• Charles Wuorinen (born 1938)
• Ruth Shaw Wylie (1916–1989)
• Yehudi Wyner (born 1929)

Y

• Christopher Yavelow (born 1950)
• La Monte Young (born 1935)

Z

• Judith Lang Zaimont (born 1945)
• Frank Zappa (1940–1993)
• John Zorn (born 1953)
• Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (born 1939)

See also

• Chronological list of American classical composers