Biography:The American classical composer was known for his symphonic and chamber works in a neoclassical style. The many prizes for his work include two Pulitzer prizes for his third (1947) and seventh (1960) symphonies.
Piston was also a teacher with considerable influence on American music; he served as a professor at Harvard from 1926 to 1960, where his pupils included Leonard Bernstein, Elliott Carter, and Leroy Anderson.
1930-03-28 1st performance of Walter Piston's Suite for orchestra (Boston)
1938-04-08 Walter Piston's 1st Symphony in E, premieres in Boston, by the Boston Symphony, conducted by the composer
1938-05-30 Walter Piston's dance work, The Incredible Flutist, written for the Boston Pops Orchestra, which premieres it, Arthur Fiedler conducting
1944-03-05 1st performance of Walter Piston's 2nd Symphony by the National Symphony, in Washington, D.C.
1944-10-21 Walter Piston's "Fugue for a Victory Tune" premieres in NYC
1948-01-09 Walter Piston's 3rd Symphony in E, premieres in Boston by the Boston Symphony Orchestra; conducted by Serge Koussevitzky; wins 1947 Pulitzer Prize
1951-03-30 1st performance of Walter Piston's 4th Symphony commissioned to mark the University of Minnesota's centennial, debuts by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Antal Doráti conducting
1955-11-25 Walter Piston's 6th Symphony, composed to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Boston Symphony, premieres, led by Charles Munch
1956-02-24 Walter Piston's 5th Symphony, commissioned by the Juilliard School of Music for their 50th anniversary, premiere performance by the Juilliard Orchestra, conducted by Jean Morel
1961-02-10 Walter Piston's 7th Symphony, commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra premieres under direction of Eugene Ormandy; wins 1961 Pulitzer Prize
1965-03-05 1st performance of Walter Piston's 8th Symphony (his last), by the Boston Symphony, conducted by Erich Leinsdorf
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Antonio Vivaldi
George Frideric Handel
Irving Berlin
Stephen Sondheim
Steve Allen