10 centuries of classical music, North America (timeline, top 10 composers...)

Kálmán or Bernstein? Kreisler or Weill? It is difficult for inquiring minds to tackle such abundant fields as classical music and opera, covering 10 centuries of history: there are thousands of composers. Making a selection of musicians, such as a “top 10” for example, is a difficult and subjective exercise. A musical selection is often the expression of personal preferences or artistic opinions, very interesting but also very different according to critics or musicologists, or simply influenced by the context: will an English composer not be instinctively privileged by an English critic?

For example: in France, Charles Gounod, a 19th century French composer, is more easily mentioned than the Norwegian Edvard Grieg, who is more recognized in the world.

Timeline of classical music composers in North America

Whoever wants to discover classical music or opera does not always have an experienced music lover, an expert or an educator at his or her side to support and guide him or her in these fields. So : Kálmán (Hungarian-born composer of operettas) or Bernstein (American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer, and pianist) ? Schoenberg (Austrian-American composer (1874-1951)) or Ma (American cellist) ? However, the knowledge available about musicians is enormous. It was processed to select the 10, 25, 50... most popular composers around the world, for those living or having lived en North America, . And this objectively, and for the first time (soclassiq exclusivity).

Composers rendered as a timeline to bring a little perspective:

900900 10001000 11001100 12001200 13001300 14001400 15001500 16001600 17001700 18001800 19001900 20002000

Timeline :

Composers Conductors Lyrical singers Performers Worldwide Europe North America South America Asia Oceania Africa 2022

This timeline is interactive to navigate through the ages (from 1400), or eras : medieval music, renaissance, baroque music (Bach...), classical period (Mozart...), romantic music (Beethoven...), XXth (Stravinsky), or across continents (with ).

Top 10 classical musiccomposers in North America

Who are these greatest composers, the most famous in North America? The works of these musician have shaped the history of classical music and lyric art. There are those you probably know, or at least by name and the others.

Here are these 10 classical music composers, renowned artists from around the world:

Curious to know their most emblematic works? Just a click away to discover them.

The selections of musicians (classical music composers) proposed by soclassiq are based exclusively on algorithms. The same applies to their works, the performers, the lyrical singers, les orchestras, the conductors and the venues : opera houses, concert halls or festivals.

What about the others? 25, 50 or more?

Summarizing to 10 musician names such a wide and diverse field may seem extreme or too simplistic for those who know classical music and lyrical art well, for those who can easily name 50 or more classical music composers. Williams, Copland, Rachmaninoff, Shore, Rózsa, Glass, Bartók...

At this time, soclassiq has listed more than 19000 composers. So here is a selection of some composers, in North America, widely recognized around the world:

Note:

This selection may include highly reputed artists and musicians who have occasionally devoted themselves to classical music and not exclusively.
It may also include composers who have been or are concert performers, some more renowned for their careers than for the work they have left behind.

A
  Paul Abraham10 centuries of classical music  
1892-1960 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
 Maurice Abravanel10 centuries of classical music  
1903-1993 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  John Luther Adams10 centuries of classical music  
age 68 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  John Adams10 centuries of classical music  
age 74 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Samuel Adler10 centuries of classical music  
age 93 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Theodor W. Adorno10 centuries of classical music  
1903-1969 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
 Emma Albani10 centuries of classical music  
1847-1930 (Romantic)
                        
Lyrical singer & Composer 
  Leroy Anderson10 centuries of classical music  
1908-1975 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  George Antheil10 centuries of classical music  
1900-1959 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Desi Arnaz10 centuries of classical music  
1917-1986 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 
 Emilie Autumn10 centuries of classical music  
age 42 (20th century)
                        
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 

B
  Milton Babbitt10 centuries of classical music  
1916-2011 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Angelo Badalamenti10 centuries of classical music  
age 84 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Samuel Barber10 centuries of classical music  
1910-1981 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
MasterpiecesComplete works 
  John Barry10 centuries of classical music  
1933-2011 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Béla Bartók10 centuries of classical music  
1881-1945 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
MasterpiecesComplete works 
  Amy Beach10 centuries of classical music  
1867-1944 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Joshua Bell10 centuries of classical music  
age 54 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Cathy Berberian10 centuries of classical music  
1925-1983 (20th century)
                        
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 
  Elmer Bernstein10 centuries of classical music  
1922-2004 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Leonard Bernstein10 centuries of classical music  
1918-1990 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Ernest Bloch10 centuries of classical music  
1880-1959 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  William Bolcom10 centuries of classical music  
age 83 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Victor Borge10 centuries of classical music  
1909-2000 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Paul Bowles10 centuries of classical music  
1910-1999 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Glenn Branca10 centuries of classical music  
1948-2018 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
 Bruce Broughton10 centuries of classical music  
age 76 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Leo Brouwer10 centuries of classical music  
1939-2003 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Ole Bull10 centuries of classical music  
1810-1880 (Romantic)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Adolf Busch10 centuries of classical music  
1891-1952 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 

C
  John Cage10 centuries of classical music  
1912-1992 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Hoagy Carmichael10 centuries of classical music  
1899-1981 (20th century)
                        
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 
  Elliott Carter10 centuries of classical music  
1908-2012 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco10 centuries of classical music  
1895-1968 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Carlos Chávez10 centuries of classical music  
1899-1978 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Jacob Clemens n Clemens10 centuries of classical music  
1510-1555 (Renaissance)
                        
Composer 
 Gloria Coates10 centuries of classical music  
age 83 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Aaron Copland10 centuries of classical music  
1900-1990 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
MasterpiecesComplete works 
  Anton Coppola10 centuries of classical music  
1917-2020 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Carmine Coppola10 centuries of classical music  
1910-1991 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  John Corigliano10 centuries of classical music  
age 83 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Henry Cowell10 centuries of classical music  
1897-1965 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Ruth Crawford Seeger10 centuries of classical music  
1901-1953 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  George Crumb10 centuries of classical music  
age 92 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 

D
  Walter Damrosch10 centuries of classical music  
1862-1950 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Lorenzo da Da Ponte10 centuries of classical music  
1749-1838 (Classical)
                        
Composer 
 Bella Davidovich10 centuries of classical music  
age 93 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
 Carl Davis10 centuries of classical music  
age 85 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
 Don Davis10 centuries of classical music  
age 64 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
 Norman Dello Joio10 centuries of classical music  
1913-2008 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  David Diamond10 centuries of classical music  
1915-2005 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Antal Doráti10 centuries of classical music  
1906-1988 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Vernon Duke10 centuries of classical music  
1903-1969 (20th century)
                        
Composer 

Alfred Einstein10 centuries of classical music
1880-1952 (20th century)
Composer

Hanns Eisler10 centuries of classical music
1898-1962 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Danny Elfman10 centuries of classical music
age 68 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer

Morton Feldman10 centuries of classical music
1926-1987 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Arthur Fiedler10 centuries of classical music
1894-1979 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

Carlisle Floyd10 centuries of classical music
1926-2021 (20th century)
Composer

Lukas Foss10 centuries of classical music
1922-2009 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

Stephen Foster10 centuries of classical music
1826-1864 (Romantic)
Composer

David Foster10 centuries of classical music
age 72 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer

Florence Foster Jenkins10 centuries of classical music
1868-1944 (20th century)
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer

G
  Ivan Galamian10 centuries of classical music  
1903-1981 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
 Diamanda Galás10 centuries of classical music  
age 66 (20th century)
                        
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 
  George Gershwin10 centuries of classical music  
1898-1937 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
MasterpiecesComplete works 
  Michael Giacchino10 centuries of classical music  
age 54 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Philip Glass10 centuries of classical music  
age 84 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
MasterpiecesComplete works 
  Leopold Godowsky10 centuries of classical music  
1870-1938 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Elliot Goldenthal10 centuries of classical music  
age 67 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Jerry Goldsmith10 centuries of classical music  
1929-2004 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Morton Gould10 centuries of classical music  
1913-1996 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Glenn Gould10 centuries of classical music  
1932-1982 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Percy Grainger10 centuries of classical music  
1882-1961 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  William Grant Still10 centuries of classical music  
1895-1978 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Alexander Gretchaninov10 centuries of classical music  
1864-1956 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Charles Griffes10 centuries of classical music  
1884-1920 (20th century)
                        
Composer 

H
  Marc-André Hamelin10 centuries of classical music  
age 60 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Marvin Hamlisch10 centuries of classical music  
1944-2012 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  W. C. Handy10 centuries of classical music  
1873-1958 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Howard Hanson10 centuries of classical music  
1896-1981 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Roy Harris10 centuries of classical music  
1898-1979 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Victor Herbert10 centuries of classical music  
1859-1924 (Romantic)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Bernard Herrmann10 centuries of classical music  
1911-1975 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Jennifer Higdon10 centuries of classical music  
age 59 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Paul Hindemith10 centuries of classical music  
1895-1963 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Josef Hofmann10 centuries of classical music  
1876-1957 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  James Horner10 centuries of classical music  
1953-2015 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Vladimir Horowitz10 centuries of classical music  
1903-1989 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Alan Hovhaness10 centuries of classical music  
1911-2000 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  James Newton Howard10 centuries of classical music  
age 70 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Karel Husa10 centuries of classical music  
1921-2016 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 

Sebastián de Iradier10 centuries of classical music
1809-1865 (Romantic)
Composer

Eugene Istomin10 centuries of classical music
1925-2003 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Charles Ives10 centuries of classical music
1874-1954 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Byron Janis10 centuries of classical music
age 93 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Scott Joplin10 centuries of classical music
1868-1917 (Romantic)
Performer & Composer

Emmerich Kálmán10 centuries of classical music
1882-1953 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer

William Kapell10 centuries of classical music
1922-1953 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Jerome Kern10 centuries of classical music
1885-1945 (20th century)
Composer

... K

Henry Kimball Hadley10 centuries of classical music
1871-1937 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer

Gershon Kingsley10 centuries of classical music
1922-2019 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

Erich Wolfgang Korngold10 centuries of classical music
1897-1957 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer
Masterpieces Complete works

Serge Koussevitzky10 centuries of classical music
1874-1951 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

Louis Krasner10 centuries of classical music
1903-1995 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Fritz Kreisler10 centuries of classical music
1875-1962 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Ernst Krenek10 centuries of classical music
1900-1991 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer

Giorgi Latsabidze10 centuries of classical music
age 43 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Morten Lauridsen10 centuries of classical music
age 78 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer

Calixa Lavallée10 centuries of classical music
1842-1891 (Romantic)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

Ernesto Lecuona10 centuries of classical music
1896-1963 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Michel Legrand10 centuries of classical music
1932-2019 (20th century)
Conductor, Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer

Kate Liu10 centuries of classical music
age 27 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Frederick Loewe10 centuries of classical music
1901-1988 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Arkady Luxemburg10 centuries of classical music
age 82 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

M
  Yo-Yo Ma10 centuries of classical music  
age 66 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Lorin Maazel10 centuries of classical music  
1930-2014 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Edward MacDowell10 centuries of classical music  
1860-1908 (Romantic)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Alma Mahler10 centuries of classical music  
1879-1964 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Henry Mancini10 centuries of classical music  
1924-1994 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Arturo Márquez10 centuries of classical music  
age 71 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Wynton Marsalis10 centuries of classical music  
age 60 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Charles Martin Loeffler10 centuries of classical music  
1861-1935 (Romantic)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Bohuslav Martinů10 centuries of classical music  
1890-1959 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Eduardo Mata10 centuries of classical music  
1942-1995 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Dimitri Mitropoulos10 centuries of classical music  
1896-1960 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Gabriela Montero10 centuries of classical music  
age 51 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Louis Moreau Gottschalk10 centuries of classical music  
1829-1869 (Romantic)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Nico Muhly10 centuries of classical music  
age 40 (20th century)
                        
Composer 

Conlon Nancarrow10 centuries of classical music
1912-1997 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Randy Newman10 centuries of classical music
age 78 (20th century)
Conductor, Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer

Garrick Ohlsson10 centuries of classical music
age 73 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

P
  Ignacy Jan Paderewski10 centuries of classical music  
1860-1941 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  John Knowles Paine10 centuries of classical music  
1839-1906 (Romantic)
                        
Composer 
  Horatio Parker10 centuries of classical music  
1863-1919 (Romantic)
                        
Composer 
  Harry Partch10 centuries of classical music  
1901-1974 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Gregor Piatigorsky10 centuries of classical music  
1903-1976 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Walter Piston10 centuries of classical music  
1894-1976 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Manuel Ponce10 centuries of classical music  
1886-1948 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  André Previn10 centuries of classical music  
1929-2019 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Carlos Puebla10 centuries of classical music  
1917-1989 (20th century)
                        
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 

R
  Sergei Rachmaninoff10 centuries of classical music  
1873-1943 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
MasterpiecesComplete works 
  Steve Reich10 centuries of classical music  
age 85 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Fritz Reiner10 centuries of classical music  
1888-1963 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Silvestre Revueltas10 centuries of classical music  
1899-1940 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Terry Riley10 centuries of classical music  
age 86 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
 George Rochberg10 centuries of classical music  
1918-2005 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Richard Rodgers10 centuries of classical music  
1902-1979 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Bernard Rogers10 centuries of classical music  
1893-1968 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Sigmund Romberg10 centuries of classical music  
1887-1951 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Juventino Rosas Ca Rosas10 centuries of classical music  
1868-1894 (Romantic)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Miklós Rózsa10 centuries of classical music  
1907-1995 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Carl Ruggles10 centuries of classical music  
1876-1971 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Robert Russell Bennett10 centuries of classical music  
1894-1981 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Frederic Rzewski10 centuries of classical music  
1938-2021 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 

S
  Curt Sachs10 centuries of classical music  
1881-1959 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Lalo Schifrin10 centuries of classical music  
age 89 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Thomas Schippers10 centuries of classical music  
1930-1977 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Arnold Schoenberg10 centuries of classical music  
1874-1951 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
MasterpiecesComplete works 
  Gunther Schuller10 centuries of classical music  
1925-2015 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
 William Schuman10 centuries of classical music  
1910-1992 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Roger Sessions10 centuries of classical music  
1896-1985 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Anoushka Shankar10 centuries of classical music  
age 40 (20th century)
                        
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 
  Caroline Shaw10 centuries of classical music  
age 39 (20th century)
                        
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 
  Howard Shore10 centuries of classical music  
age 75 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Alexander Siloti10 centuries of classical music  
1863-1945 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Leonard Slatkin10 centuries of classical music  
age 77 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Nicolas Slonimsky10 centuries of classical music  
1894-1995 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Dang Thai Son10 centuries of classical music  
age 63 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  Stephen Sondheim10 centuries of classical music  
1930-2021 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  John Philip Sousa10 centuries of classical music  
1854-1932 (Romantic)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Max Steiner10 centuries of classical music  
1888-1971 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
 Jim Steinman10 centuries of classical music  
1947-2021 (20th century)
                        
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 
 Eduard Steuermann10 centuries of classical music  
1892-1964 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
 Fritz Stiedry10 centuries of classical music  
1883-1968 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Igor Stravinsky10 centuries of classical music  
1882-1971 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
MasterpiecesComplete works 
  Zoltán Székely10 centuries of classical music  
1903-2001 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
  George Szell10 centuries of classical music  
1897-1970 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
 Albert Szirmai10 centuries of classical music  
1880-1967 (20th century)
                        
Composer 

Alexander Tcherepnin10 centuries of classical music
1899-1977 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

Randall Thompson10 centuries of classical music
1899-1984 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer

Virgil Thomson10 centuries of classical music
1896-1989 (20th century)
Conductor & Composer

Michael Tilson Thomas10 centuries of classical music
age 77 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

Dimitri Tiomkin10 centuries of classical music
1894-1979 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

David Tudor10 centuries of classical music
1926-1996 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Brian Tyler10 centuries of classical music
age 49 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

Claude Vivier10 centuries of classical music
1948-1983 (20th century)
Composer

W
  Rufus Wainwright10 centuries of classical music  
age 48 (20th century)
                        
Lyrical singer, Performer & Composer 
  Kurt Weill10 centuries of classical music  
1900-1950 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Jaromír Weinberger10 centuries of classical music  
1896-1967 (20th century)
                        
Conductor & Composer 
  Chou Wen-chung10 centuries of classical music  
1923-2019 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  George Whitefield Chadwick10 centuries of classical music  
1854-1931 (Romantic)
                        
Composer 
  John Williams10 centuries of classical music  
age 89 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 
  Paul Wittgenstein10 centuries of classical music  
1887-1961 (20th century)
                        
Performer & Composer 
 Stefan Wolpe10 centuries of classical music  
1902-1972 (20th century)
                        
Composer 
  Charles Wuorinen10 centuries of classical music  
1938-2020 (20th century)
                        
Conductor, Performer & Composer 

Christopher Young10 centuries of classical music
age 63 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

La Monte Young10 centuries of classical music
age 86 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

Efrem Zimbalist10 centuries of classical music
1889-1985 (20th century)
Conductor, Performer & Composer

John Zorn10 centuries of classical music
age 68 (20th century)
Performer & Composer

10 centuries of classical music Composers (North America)

Timeline of classical music composers in North America

Top 10 classical musiccomposers in North America

What about the others? 25, 50 or more?

See also...

Timelines : Composers

Indexes

Other timelines

Commemorations 2022, 2023, ...