George Frederick Bristow was an American composer, violinist, conductor, and teacher from Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in a very musical family and learned music from his father. By the age of seventeen he was skilled enough to join the New York Philharmonic as a violinist, where he played for more than thirty years.

Bristow wanted American music to be taken seriously at a time when most concerts focused on European composers. He wrote five symphonies, two operas, and many choral pieces and church works. His most famous piece is his Fifth Symphony, “Niagara”, inspired by Niagara Falls and first performed at Carnegie Hall in 1898.

He also spoke out when he felt American composers were being ignored, arguing that the New York Philharmonic should support local musicians. Alongside composing and performing, Bristow worked as a school music teacher for more than forty years, helping thousands of children learn about music.