swap_horiz William Bolcom Alternatives

1

Bernard Herrmann

American composer (1911–1975) best known for his film scores for Alfred Hitchcock, including Psycho (1960) and Vertigo (...

Opera Modern American Film

8.8 Great

2

Saariaho Kaija

Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho (1952-2023) was notable for her distinctive use of spectral music and electronics, notab...

Opera Contemporary Electronic Spectral

8.8 Great

3

George Gershwin

George Gershwin was an American pianist and composer who famously bridged the gap between classical music and Broadway w...

Opera Modern American Jazz

8.6 Great

4

Georges Bizet

French Romantic composer Georges Bizet (1838–1875) is best known for his final opera, Carmen, which became one of the mo...

Romantic Opera French Orchestral

8.6 Great

5

Caroline Shaw

Caroline Shaw is an American composer and singer who became the youngest recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 20...

American Contemporary Vocal Chamber

8.5 Great

6

Modest Mussorgsky

Russian composer belonging to "The Five," noted for his bold, nationalist works such as the orchestral suite "Pictures a...

Romantic Opera Russian Piano

8.4 Great

7

Kaija Saariaho

Finnish composer (1952–2023) known for spectralist-influenced works including the opera L'Amour de loin, premiered at Sa...

Opera Contemporary Electronics Spectral

8.2 Great

8

Howard Shore

Canadian composer (born 1946) best known for his Academy Award-winning score for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (200...

Opera Contemporary Canadian Film

8.2 Great

9

Camille Saint-Saëns

French composer of the Romantic era known for his elegant orchestral works, including the beloved 1886 suite "The Carniv...

Symphony Romantic Opera French

8.1 Great

10

John Corigliano

John Corigliano is an acclaimed American composer of symphonic and film music who won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for his Sy...

Opera American Contemporary Film

8.1 Great

11

George Crumb

George Crumb was an American avant-garde composer noted for his unusual timbres and extended techniques, winning the 196...

American Contemporary Chamber Mystical

8.0 Great

12

Thomas Adès

British composer (born 1971) known for operas such as The Tempest (2004) and his virtuosic orchestral and chamber writin...

Opera Contemporary Orchestral Piano

7.9 Good

13

Missy Mazzoli

Missy Mazzoli is an American composer noted for her dramatic operas and was the first woman commissioned by the Metropol...

Opera American Contemporary Accessible

7.8 Good

14

George Walker

American composer George Walker was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1996, notably for...

American Contemporary Orchestral Piano

7.4 Good

15

Rodion Shchedrin

Rodion Shchedrin is a prominent Russian composer known for blending traditional Russian folk elements with modernist tec...

Opera Russian Ballet Contemporary

7.2 Good

16

Poul Ruders

Poul Ruders is a prominent Danish contemporary composer recognized for his dramatic modernist style, notably expressed i...

Opera Danish Contemporary Orchestral

6.5 Fair

17

Nico Muhly

Nico Muhly is an American contemporary classical composer known for his versatile output, including chamber operas and p...

Opera American Contemporary Orchestral

6.4 Fair

18

Kevin Puts

American composer Kevin Puts won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Music for his acclaimed debut opera *Silent Night*, notable...

Opera American Contemporary Orchestral

6.2 Fair

19

David T. Little

American composer David T. Little is known for his genre-crossing contemporary works, particularly the heavy metal-influ...

Opera American Contemporary Chamber

5.4 Mediocre

20

Paola Prestini

Mexican-American composer Paola Prestini is a founder of the multimedia arts venue National Sawdust, recognized for her...

Opera American Contemporary Multimedia

4.9 Poor