Walter Piston

Full biography Walter Piston

Walter Hamor Piston Jr. (January 20, 1894 – November 12, 1976) was an American composer of classical music. He was also a music theorist and a professor of music at Harvard University. Piston was born in Rockland, Maine, and grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. He studied at Harvard University under Edward Burlingame Hill and went on to study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris.

Piston's music is known for its technical skill and neoclassical style. He wrote a variety of works, including symphonies, concertos, chamber music, and vocal music. Some of his most famous works include his Symphony No. 4, Three Pieces for Flute, and The Incredible Flutist.

In addition to his career as a composer, Piston was also a renowned music educator. He taught at Harvard University from 1926 to 1960 and wrote several influential textbooks on music theory, including "Harmony," "Counterpoint," and "Orchestration."

Piston's legacy as a composer and educator has continued to resonate in the years following his death. His music is still regularly performed by orchestras and chamber ensembles around the world, and his textbooks remain widely used in music education. Piston's contributions to the world of classical music have secured his place as one of the most important American composers of the 20th century.