George Walker (composer)

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For the African American vaudevillian (1873-1911), see George Walker (vaudeville)

George Theophilus Walker (born June 27, 1922) is an African-American composer, the first to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. He received the Pulitzer for his work Lilacs in 1996.

Walker was first exposed to music at the age of five when he began to play the piano. He was admitted to the Oberlin Conservatory at 14 and received his doctorate from the Eastman School of Music. Walker studied composition with Rosario Scalero who also taught Samuel Barber and Gian-Carlo Menotti.

Walker's first major orchestral work was the Address for Orchestra. His Lyric for Strings is his most performed orchestral work. He has composed many works including 5 sonatas for piano, a mass, cantata, many songs, choral works, organ pieces, sonatas for cello and piano, violin and piano and viola and piano, a brass quintet and a woodwind quintet. He has published over 90 works. He has received commissions from the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra and many other ensembles. He is the recipient of six honorary doctoral degrees.