Karel Husa

Czech-American Classical Composer and Conductor

Karel Husa (1921–2016) was a Czech-born classical composer and conductor, who spent much of his career in the United States. He is known for his contributions to the repertoire of wind ensembles as well as his works for orchestra. Husa won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1969 for his String Quartet No. 3 and was awarded the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for his Cello Concerto in 1993. His music is often noted for its emotional intensity and incorporation of Czech musical elements. Among his most famous works is "Music for Prague 1968," which was composed in response to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and has become a staple in the wind ensemble literature. Husa served as a professor at Cornell University from 1954 to 1992, where he influenced many young composers through his teaching.