George Walker

George Walker was director general of the International Baccalaureate and visiting professor in the University of Bath. In this collection of autobiographical essays he describes some defining moments in his distinguished career in education. In schools, of course, but also in the harvest fields of Essex and the Paleolithic cave at Lascaux; behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia; on the alpine ski slopes; in the concert hall and in the footsteps of Cecil Rhodes in southern Africa; in Baghdad and in Bosnia, there have been many unexpected lessons to learn.

In 1996, George Walker became the first black American to win the Pulitzer Prize for music. This accolade, awarded for his composition "Lilacs," was just one of many Walker has received: Walker has been inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame and has received six honorary doctoral degrees. Considered one of the most important American composers of the last century, Walker has produced works that rank among the finest in contemporary classical music. In Reminiscences of an American Composer and Pianist, Walker recounts the most significant events in his life and distinguished career as a composer and a musician. Beginning with his childhood in Washington, D. C., Walker reflects on pivotal moments that shaped his development as an artist. He recalls his early childhood, his professional debut as a concert pianist, his studies in Europe, and his connections with some of the world's most famous musicians. Along the way he includes analyses of some of his most important works.