George Walker, who served on the piano faculty of the Peabody Conservatory in the mid-1970s, died last week at the age of 96. In his New York Times obituary, Walker was described as “a composer who broke barriers during a long and distinguished career.” In 1996, he was the first black composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for music, for Lilacs for voice and orchestra. His passing was also noted by NPR.
