Howard Harold Hanson was an influential American composer and educator, born on October 28, 1896, in Wahoo, Nebraska. His parents were Swedish immigrants, and he began studying music with his mother. Hanson attended Luther College and later the Institute of Musical Art, which became the Juilliard School. He earned his degree from Northwestern University in 1916. In 1924, he became the director of the Eastman School of Music, where he significantly enhanced the curriculum and promoted American classical music.

Hanson established the American Composers Orchestral Concerts and the Festivals of American Music, showcasing works by American composers. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944 for his Symphony No. 4 and received the George Foster Peabody Award in 1946. His compositions, including “Song of Democracy,” reflect his belief in emotional expression and the beauty of music. Hanson’s style is often associated with Neo-Romanticism, blending traditional and modern elements.