Elliott Cook Carter, Jr. (December 11, 1908 – November 5, 2012) was an American
composer who was twice awarded the
Pulitzer Prize. He studied with
Nadia Boulanger in Paris in the 1930s, then returned to the United States. After an early
neoclassical phase, his style shifted to an emphasis on
atonality and rhythmic complexity. His compositions are known and performed throughout the world; they include
orchestral,
chamber music, solo instrumental, and vocal works.