The career of American Modern period composer William Schuman (1910-1992) began in high school, where he also played violin and banjo in a jazz ensemble which he formed. He wrote in most musical genres, including ten symphonies. He won the first Pulitzer Prize in 1943 music for A Free Song, was instrumental in establishing the Julliard Quartet while president of that school, and became first president of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 1962.