Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was born on April 23, 1891, in Sontsovka, a rural estate in what is now Ukraine. He grew up in an intellectually stimulating household—his father was an agronomist, and his mother, an amateur pianist, became his first teacher and introduced him to music early on. By the age of five, Prokofiev had composed his first piano piece; at nine, he was already sketching out operas.

Pierre Boulez reshaped contemporary classical music through both composition and conducting.

György Ligeti (1923–2006) was a Hungarian-Austrian composer celebrated for his groundbreaking contributions to 20th-century classical music.