Walter Piston

Walter Piston (1894–1976) was a prominent American composer and music theorist noted for his symphonic and chamber music and his influence in the development of the 20th-century Neoclassical style in the United States. He taught at Harvard University from 1926 until 1960, mentoring notable students such as Leonard Bernstein and Elliott Carter, and wrote four classic textbooks on music theory including Harmony and Counterpoint.