List of composers by nationality
The following is a list of composers by nationality.
Albania
- Simon Gjoni, composer of orchestral and piano pieces
- Tonin Harapi
- Agim Krajka, composer of the National Song Festival
- Aleksandër Peçi
- Esat Rizvanolli, composer of songs and choral music
- Çesk Zadeja, often nicknamed the "Father of Albanian music"
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
- Brenton Broadstock
- Mary Finsterer
- Stuart Greenbaum
- Alfred Hill
- Phillip Houghton
- Richard Meale
- Isaac Nathan
- Peter Sculthorpe
- Nigel Westlake
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Sinan Alimanovic
- Anđelka Bego-Šimunić
- Franciscus Bossinensis
- Rade Jovanović
- Vuk Kulenovic
- Mladen Milicevic
- Dino Residbegovic
- Ališer Sijarić
- Aleksa Šantić
- Dino Zonić
- Hanan Hadžajlić
Brazil
- Ernani Aguiar
- Jorge Antunes
- Antônio Francisco Braga, composer of operas, piano and symphonic works.
- Oscar Lorenzo Fernández
- Sílvio Ferraz
- Antônio Carlos Gomes, celebrated opera composer in Italy, 19th century
- Mozart Camargo Guarnieri
- José Maurício Nunes Garcia, composer of classical era; priest, wrote both sacred and secular music.
- Radamés Gnatalli
- César Guerra-Peixe
- Osvaldo Lacerda
- Elias Álvares Lobo, composer of sacred and secular music; wrote first Brazilian opera.
- Alexandre Levy
- Emerico Lobo de Mesquita
- Francisco Mignone
- Ronaldo Miranda
- Alberto Nepomuceno
- Marlos Nobre
- José Antônio Rezende de Almeida Prado
- Cláudio Santoro
- Heitor Villa-Lobos, one of the most performed Brazilian composers worldwide
- José Carlos Amaral Vieira
- Edson Zampronha
Bulgaria
- Georgi Arnaoudov, composer of stage, orchestral, chamber, film, vocal and piano music
- Alexandra Fol, composer and organist, currently writing her dissertation at McGill University's Schulich School of Music
- Marin Goleminov, composer, violinist, conductor
- Michail Goleminov, composer, pianist, conductor, and co-founder of music publishing house The Orange Factory
- Dobri Hristov, composer of choral music as well as music for the church and orchestra
- Petar Krumov, composer, arranger, conductor and expert on Bulgarian folk music
- Filip Kutev, composer, arranger and founder of Bulgaria's State Ensemble for Folk Song and Dance
- Kiril Lambov composer, pianist, and conductor
- Milcho Leviev, composer, arranger, jazz performer and pianist
- Emanuil Manolov, composed the first Bulgarian opera Siromahkinia based on the work of Ivan Vazov with the same title
- Albena Petrovic-Vratchanska, composer and director in Luxembourg, one of her most famous works is "Gladius"
- Anna-Maria Ravnopolska-Dean, composer, harpist, pedagogue
- Petko Staynov, a founding member and first chairman of the Bulgarian Contemporary Music Society, which later became the Union of Bulgarian Composers
- Veselin Stoyanov, composer of classical music including two symphonies
- Emil Tabakov, composer of symphonies and concertos
- Dobrinka Tabakova, composer
- Julia Tsenova, contemporary composer, pianist, jazz pedagogue
- Georgi Tutev, composer of contemporary classical music, one of the main representatives of Bulgarian modernism
- Pancho Vladigerov, a founding member of the Bulgarian Contemporary Music Society
Canada
- Eric Genuis
Chile
- Víctor Jara, composer, pedagogue, theatre director, poet, singer-songwriter, and political activist
- Juan Orrego-Salas
- Jorge Urrutia, composer, influenced by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel
China
- Du Mingxin, composer who collaborated on the ballet Red Detachment of Women
- Nie Er, wrote March of the Volunteers, the national anthem of the People's Republic of China
- Qu Xiao-Song, composer, student of Du Mingxin
- Xian Xinghai, composer known for the Yellow River Cantata, a patriotic song during the Second Sino-Japanese War
- Xiao Shuxian, composer who blended elements of Chinese folk culture with Western techniques in her music
Colombia
- JC Gonzalez, hip hop composer
- Kike Santander, composer and record producer
- Shakira, modern pop composer
- Carlos Vives, Vallenato and Latin pop composer
- Jacqueline Nova, pioneer on experimental music and Colombian feminist movement.
Croatia
Cyprus
- Nicolas Economou, composer and conductor
Czech Republic
Denmark
- Niels Gade
- Carl Nielsen
Dominican Republic
- Luis Alberti composer of Merengue music
- Charytín, significant 1970s pop music composer
- Juan Luis Guerra significant contemporary merengue and pop ballad composer
- Johnny Pacheco composer of Salsa music
- Anthony Santos significant bachata composer
- Sandra Zaiter significant children's songs composer
Ecuador
- Mesías Maiguashca
Egypt
- Sayed Darwish
- Mohamed El Qasabgi
- Zakariya Ahmad
- Mohammed Abdel Wahab
- Riad Al Sunbati
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
- Jani Christou
- Manos Hatzidakis
- Manolis Kalomiris, classical composer. He was the founder of the Greek National School of Music.
- Stefanos Korkolis
- Nikolaos Lavdas
- Nikolaos Mantzaros, composer of the Greek national anthem
- Yannis Markopoulos
- Thanos Mikroutsikos
- Mimis Plessas
- Nikos Skalkottas, member of the Second Viennese School
- Giannis Spanos
- Mikis Theodorakis
- Stavros Xarchakos
- Iannis Xenakis
Guatemala
- Ricardo Arjona, modern pop composer
Hungary
- Béla Bartók, 20th-century composer, considered one of the founders of ethnomusicology
- Miklós Rózsa, 20th-century composer, best known for his film music
- Gábor Darvas, composer and musicologist
- Ernő Dohnányi, 20th-century composer, Variations on a Nursery Tune, Suite in F-sharp minor, Ruralia Hungarica
- Péter Eötvös
- Karl Goldmark, Romantic composer influenced by Richard Wagner
- Stephen Heller, Early Romantic composer and pianist
- Zoltán Kodály, 20th-century composer and ethnomusicologist
- Rezső Kókai, composer and musicologist
- György Kurtág, 20th-century composer
- Franz Lehár, 20th-century composer most known for The Merry Widow
- György Sándor Ligeti, 20th-century composer best known for the various pieces featured in the Stanley Kubrick films 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, and Eyes Wide Shut
- Franz Liszt, Romantic composer-pianist, wrote a number of tone poems and extended piano technique
- Ervin Nyiregyházi, romantic composer-pianist
- Tibor Szemző, composer, performer and media artist
- Leo Weiner, 20th-century composer of the "Fox Dance"
Iceland
India
- M. Balamuralikrishna, carnatic music
- Clarence Barlow, contemporary art music
- Sandeep Bhagwati, contemporary art music
- R.D. Burman, film composer, musician and singer
- Sachin Dev Burman, music composers for Hindi movies and a Bengali singer and composer
- Pritam Chakraborty, film composer
- Salil Chowdhury, film music composer, western classical and folk fusion music writer and arranger
- Ilaiyaraja, film composer, record producer, musician and singer
- Jatin-Lalit, music composer duo
- Khayyam, film composer
- Shirish Korde, contemporary art music
- Bappi Lahiri, film composer
- Laxmikant–Pyarelal, film composer duo
- Madan Mohan, film composer, musician and singer
- Nadeem-Shravan, film composer duo
- Naushad, film composer
- O.P. Nayyar, film composer
- A. R. Rahman, film composer, record producer, musician and singer
- Yuvan Shankar Raja, singer-songwriter, film score, and soundtrack composer
- Ravi, film composer
- Anirudh Ravichander, singer, music director, film composer
- Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy trio of record producers, musicians, multi-instrumentalists
- Shankar Jaikishan, music composer duo
- Naresh Sohal, contemporary art music
- Asha Srinivasan, contemporary art music
- Amit Trivedi, film composer
- Param Vir, contemporary art music
Indonesia
- Otto Sidharta, music composer
- Ananda Sukarlan
Iran
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Latvia
- Emīls Dārziņš
- Jānis Ivanovs
- Jāzeps Vītols
Liechtenstein
- Josef Rheinberger
Lithuania
Luxembourg
- Jean-Marie Kieffer
North Macedonia
- Dimitrije Bužarovski
- Todor Skalovski
Madagascar
- Raymond Razafimbahiny
Malta
- Charles Camilleri, 20th century classical composer
- Carmelo Pace, music teacher and composer
- Robert Samut, composer of Malta's National Anthem, l-Innu Malti
Mexico
- Miguel Bernal Jiménez, 20th Century composer
- Julián Carrillo, discovered the 13th sound
- Ricardo Castro, composer and pianist
- Daniel Catán, composer of operas
- Carlos Chávez, 20th-century classical composer and conductor
- Jose Mariano Elizaga, composer and theoretician
- Manuel Enriquez, modern classical composer
- Julio Estrada, composer and theoretician
- Blas Galindo, 20th-century composer
- María Grever, composer of romantic songs like "Júrame"
- Carlos Jiménez Mabarak, 20th century composer
- Agustin Lara, composer of romantic songs like Maria Bonita, Solamente una Vez, Granada, etc.
- Mario Lavista, composer and writer
- Francisco López Capillas, composer of the Baroque
- Armando Manzanero, singer, pianist and composer of Boleros
- Arturo Márquez, wrote Danzón No. 2
- José Pablo Moncayo, composer of "Huapango"
- Melesio Morales, composer of the opera Ildegonda
- Conlon Nancarrow, wrote for player piano
- Manuel María Ponce, 20th-century composer
- Silvestre Revueltas, 20th-century classical composer of Sensemayá
- Juventino Rosas, composer of vals "Sobre las olas"
- Manuel de Sumaya, composer of the Baroque
- Eugenio Toussaint, contemporary jazz and classical composer
- Consuelo Velázquez, wrote the song "Bésame Mucho"
Mongolia
Netherlands
- Michel van der Aa, modern classical composer
- Hendrik Andriessen, classical composer of symphonies, songs and organworks
- Louis Andriessen, modern classical composer
- Henk Badings, classical composer of symphonic works, songs, electro-acoustical works
- Henriëtte Bosmans, classical composer of instrumental music and songs
- Jan Brandts Buys, composer of operas and chamber music
- Johannes van Bree, classical composer of symphonies, orchestral works, operas, songs, chamber music
- Lex van Delden, modern classical composer
- Bernard van Dieren, composer of chamber music, symphonies, vocal works
- Cornelis Dopper, classical composer of symphonies, operas, concertos
- Rudolf Escher, classical composer of songs, symphonies, chamber music
- Carel Anton Fodor, classical composer of symphonies, concertos
- Jan van Gilse, classical composer of operas, symphonies, chamber music
- Pieter Hellendaal, classical composer of concerti grossi, chamber music, psalms and oratorios
- Elisabeth Kuyper, classical composer of orchestral works, concertos, chamber music, choral music, and songs
- Guillaume Landré, classical composer of vocal music, operas and symphonies
- Samuel de Lange, classical composer of operas, organ music, symphonic works, chamber music
- Fred Momotenko, modern classical composer
- Leon Orthel, classical composer of symphonies and chamber music
- Willem Pijper, classical composer of chamber music, songs, symphonic works
- Julius Röntgen, classical composer of symphonies, concertos, chamber music, vocal works
- Leo Smit, classical composer of chamber music, songs, symphonic music
- Johannes Verhulst, classical composer of vocal music, symphonic works
- Matthijs Vermeulen, classical composer of symphonies and songs
- Alexander Voormolen, classical composer of chamber music, piano music and orchestral works
- Bernard Zweers, classical composer of vocal music, orchestral works and symphonies
New Zealand
- Gillian Bibby
- Jack Body
- Ivan Bootham
- Helen Bowater
- Dorothy Buchanan
- Edwin Carr, 20th century classical
- Lyell Cresswell, 20th century classical
- Eve de Castro-Robinson
- Gareth Farr
- Sir Dean Goffin, brass band composer
- Peter Hobbs
- Mihi-ki-te-kapua, composer of waiata
- Douglas Lilburn
- Andrew Perkins
- Robert J. Pope, songwriter
- John Psathas, 20th century classical
- Rihi Puhiwahine Te Rangi-hirawea, composer of waiata
- John Rimmer
- Anthony Ritchie, 20th century classical
- Stephen Roche, composer of film music
- Michael Smither
- Sir William Southgate
- Ronald Tremain, 20th century classical
- Peter van der Fluit
- Gillian Karawe Whitehead
- Michael Williams, 20th century classical
- Kenneth Young
- Wayan Yudane, composer of Balinese music
Nigeria
- Joshua Uzoigwe, 20th century classical and Nigerian folk composer
Norway
- Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen, composer
- Ole Bornemann Bull was a Norwegian violinist and composer, wrote The Herdgirl's Sunday
- Edvard Grieg, Romantic composer, known for his incidental music for Peer Gynt and his Piano Concerto
- Agathe Backer Grøndahl, Romantic composer and pianist, contemporary of Edvard Grieg
- Kjell Habbestad, Norwegian composer
- Johan Halvorsen, Norwegian composer, famous for Entry March of the Boyars and Passacaglia in G minor on a Theme by George Frideric Handel
- Hans Fredrik Jacobsen
- Ståle Kleiberg, classical composer and musicologist
- Herman Severin Løvenskiold, Romantic composer who wrote the score for the ballet La Sylphide
- Jan Erik Mikalsen
- Finn Mortensen, Norwegian composer, famous for bringing serialism and twelve-tone music to Norway
- Arne Nordheim, Norwegian composer, famous for bringing the modernism and electro acoustic music to Norway. Wrote Epitaffio for orchestra and tape, the ballet The Storm and Solitaire
- Rune Rebne, Norwegian contemporary composer
- Christian Sinding, Norwegian composer, wrote Rustle of Spring and the Suite for Violin and Orchestra
- Johan Svendsen, Norwegian composer of the Romance for Violin and Orchestra and 2 Symphonies
- Olav Anton Thommessen, Norwegian composer, famous for "A Glass Bead Game"
- Lasse Thoresen
- Geirr Tveitt
- Fartein Valen, Norwegian composer writing atonal polyphonic music. Famous for Le Cimetère Marin and the Violin Concerto
Pakistan
- Nisar Bazmi
Peru
- Jaime Delgado Aparicio, contemporary jazz, pop and film score composer
- Jose Bernardo Alcedo, 19th-century Peruvian romantic composer, wrote the Peruvian National Anthem
- Daniel Alomía Robles, romantic composer, wrote El Cóndor Pasa
- Sadiel Cuentas, contemporary composer
- Chabuca Granda, singer, contemporary and folk music composer
- Rafael Leonardo Junchaya, contemporary composer
- Celso Garrido Lecca, contemporary composer
- Jimmy Lopez, contemporary composer
- Clara Petrozzi, contemporary composer
- Felipe Pinglo Alva, poet and songwriter, father of Música criolla
- Jorge Villavicencio Grossmann, contemporary composer
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
- Alfredo Keil
- Jaime Reis
Puerto Rico
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
- Johan Helmich Roman
Switzerland
- Fritz Bovet, violinist, composed at least one string quartet, watchmaker, Swiss vice-counsel to Canton, China
- Caroline Charrière, composer, flautist, choir director
- Heinz Holliger
- Arthur Honegger
- Frank Martin
- Othmar Schoeck
- Andreas Vollenweider
Taiwan
- Tyzen Hsiao
- Liu Shueh-Shuan 劉學軒, 21st century contemporary classical composer
Turkey
- Ahmed Adnan Saygun
- Ulvi Cemal Erkin
- Cemal Reşit Rey
- Hasan Ferit Alnar
- Necil Kazım Akses
United Kingdom
- Benjamin Britten
- Frederick Delius
- Gustav Holst
- Henry Purcell
- Ralph Vaughan Williams
- William Walton
United States