- American composer
and educator, born in New York City. He taught at Sarah Lawrence College
(1935-1945), was president of the Juilliard School (1945-1962), and
was president of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York
City (1962-1969).
Schuman's music
has a vigorous rhythmic and harmonic structure, with strong melodic
lines that prevail despite frequent use of polytonality (two or more
musical keys occurring simultaneously). Among his compositions are American
Festival Overture (1939) for orchestra; A Free Song (1943), winner of
the first Pulitzer Prize in music; and New England Triptych (1956).
He won a special Pulitzer citation in 1985 for lifetime achievement
as a composer and educational leader.
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