Some of the most notable American classical music composers include Aaron Copland, known for his iconic works like Appalachian Spring and Fanfare for the Common Man; George Gershwin, whose blend of classical music with jazz in pieces like Rhapsody in Blue and Porgy and Bess made him a household name; Samuel Barber, famous for Adagio for Strings; and Leonard Bernstein, renowned for West Side Story and his symphonies.

Other notable composers include Charles Ives, John Adams, Philip Glass, Henry Cowell, Virgil Thomson, and David Lang, all of whom have made significant contributions to the American classical music tradition with innovative works that span a range of styles from modernism to minimalism.