BACKGROUND TO…

John Harbison (b1938)

A prolific American composer, John Harbison earned plaudits as young as 16. He studied at both Harvard and Princeton, and counted Walter Piston among his tutors. Following his 1987 Pulitzer Prize, his standing as one of the leading composers of the US was confirmed by commissions from Metropolitan Opera and the Vatican, his many chamber, symphonic, choral and solo works being recorded and regularly performed. He is principal guest conductor of Boston’s ensemble Emmanuel Music, and a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).