Samuel Barber (1910-1981) was one of America’s most celebrated composers in the 20th century, twice winning the Pulitzer Prize for music. A Pennsylvania native from a musical family, he was a superlative writer for piano and the human voice. His best-known works include the Adagio for Strings, his concertos for piano and violin, his work for soprano and orchestra Knoxville: Summer of 1915, and his opera Vanessa.