Composer; born in Rockland, Maine. He trained as an artist and first took a serious interest in music at Harvard (1920--24). After studies in Paris under Nadia Boulanger, he taught at Harvard (1926--60). A favorite of the conductor Serge Koussevitzky, Piston was noted for his solid craftmanship in neoclassic works including eight symphonies and five string quartets. He also wrote several popular textbooks, including Harmony, Counterpoint, and Orchestration.