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An extraordinary number of classical composers have thrived in Latin America since the 16th century, and the musical landscape today is as vast and diverse as the cultures it comprises. Audiences of classical music today can rarely name a half dozen of these (if even that), but serious exploration reveals untold riches. Here are 10 composers to begin with, some established and some relatively new. (And when you have perused these 10, below are another 60 to look into.)

Even in the midst of staggering diversity, one can find commonalities in the music of Latin American composers. “A good number of them draw inspiration from dances,” said Daniel Velasco, professor of flute at The University of Kansas, who was born in Ecuador and has traveled and performed extensively throughout Latin America. 

“Every country has its own history of dance, so that tends to be a big influence in many compositions,” he continued, addition that through a nation’s dances “you can learn a lot about the history of that country, because most have a complicated history of immigration and colonization, and those influences show up in these dances.” 

Another area of common ground is the composers’ close relationship to indigenous culture, which finds far more reflection in Latin American music than it does in music of the northern climes—as it does in literature and visual art. Native tunes and dances “have become part of the mainstream,” Daniel said, “because indigenous elements are an important part of the culture in general.” Melodies, genres, rhythms, dances—even the use of indigenous instruments—have all become firmly lodged in the cultural awareness many Latin American composers. 

Agustín Barrios (1885-1944) was a phenomenal Paraguayan classical guitarist who composed hundreds of works for the instrument, many of which are infused with folk elements but also show keen awareness of centuries of music history. Listen to his gorgeous, Bach-inspired La Catedrál from 1921. 

Carlos Chávez (1899-1978) was the dean of Mexican composers. He was also one of the great musical voices of the 20th century and a friend of Copland, Bernstein, and others. He established Mexico’s National Symphony Orchestra and was a pioneer in the use of indigenous Aztec musical elements. Listen to his concise Sinfonía india and his marvelous Piano Concerto from 1940. 

Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000) is a standout in a nation that is well-represented in any list of classical musicians: Argentina. A gifted pianist and incredibly prolific composer, he wrote in a lush style that has caused some to call him the “Schubert of the Pampas.” Like Schubert, he is known for his songs: Listen to the delicate La rosa y el sauce. 

Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) was not only the greatest musical figure Argentina has produced, he is one of the central figures of the 20th century, from any continent. Like many Latin Americans of his generation, he began in a more conservative musical style and in his late years was moving toward modernism and even serialism. All three of his string quartets are masterpieces, but don’t stop there: His output is huge, and his music is consistently singable, texturally dense, and full of driving, dynamic rhythms. 

Gerardo Guevara (1930-2024) was a leading musical figure in 20th-and 21st-century Ecuador. In his 20s he studied with the legendary Nadia Boulanger in Paris before returning to his country, where he composed prodigiously, wrote books, and served as director of the Conservatorio Nacional. Listen to his orchestral De mestizo a mestizo (1994) or his Diágolos for flute and piano, which is on Daniel Velasco’s CD Flauta Andina. 

Tania León (b. 1943) is one of the leading Latina musical figures of our time. Born in Havana, she settled in New York in the 1960s and became music director for the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Her music caught the attention of nearly every major orchestra over the next half-century, and in 2021 won the Pulitzer Prize in music for her orchestral piece Stride. Listen to her Alegre for orchestra, or her coloristic Indígena from 1991. 

Robert Xavier Rodriguez (b. 1946 in San Antonio, Texas) reminds us that an enormous amount of Latin American music stems from this side of the Rio Grande. He, too, studied with Nadia Boulanger, and with other central figures of 20th-century music (including Elliott Carter and Jacob Druckman). A master of both vocal and instrumental idioms, he has written more than a dozen operas including Frida (1991) and a huge number of orchestral and chamber works. Listen to his moody, dynamic Xochiquetzal for violin and percussion ensemble. 

Roberto Sierra (b. 1953 in Puerto Rico) is one of the few living Americans to have studied with the great György Ligeti, and his mastery of nearly every musical genre is as revelatory as Ligeti’s. His symphonies and concertos are among the finest of his generation. Listen to his Sinfonía No. 3 (Salsa) or the Missa Latina ‘Pro Pace,’ performed in 2006 to enormous acclaim. 

Gabriela Montero (b. 1970) is one of the creative geniuses of our time, a Venezuelan-born pianist and composer whose gifts combine classical mastery with extraordinary improvisational skill; she has performed with most of the world’s major orchestras. Listen to her Piano Concerto No. 1 (“Latin”). 

Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972) in Berkeley, California, of Peruvian, Chinese, and Lithuanian Jewish descent. Her music often reflects this rich variety of cultural influences. She commands several different genres and has been commissioned by most of the major American orchestras, chamber ensembles, and soloists. Listen to her Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout for string orchestra (2001).

Here are a few other important composers to investigate, before deep-diving into our longer list below. Some of the well-known figures here were not listed above because their music is already ensconced in the repertoire: Manuel Ponce (1882-1948), Heitor Villa-Lobos(1887-1959), Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), Daniel Catán (1949-2011), Gabriela Ortiz (b. 1964, Marcos Balter (b. 1974), Jimmy López b. 1978), and Angélica Negrón (b. 1981). 

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60 MORE: Significant Latin American composers past and present 

Historical 

José María Ponce de León (1845–1882), Colombia

Ángela Peralta (1845–1883), Mexico

Chiquinha Gonzaga (1847-1935), Brazil 

Teresa Carreño (1853–1917), Venezuela

Ricardo Castro (1864-1907), Mexico

Reynaldo Hahn (1874–1947), Venezuela 

Guillermo Uribe-Holguín (1880–1971), Colombia

Manuel Ponce (1882-1948), Mexico

Agustín Barrios (Mangoré) (1885-1944), Paraguay

Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959), Brazil

María Grever (1894-1951), Mexico

Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963), Cuba

Sofía Cancino de Cuevas (1897–1982), Mexico

Juan Bautista Plaza (1898-1965), Venezuela

Silvestre Revueltas (1899-1940), Mexico

Carlos Chávez (1899-1978), Mexico

Adolfo Mejía Navarro (1905–1973), Colombia

José Pablo Moncayo (1912-1958), Mexico

Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000), Argentina

Cacilda Borges Barbosa (1914-2010), Brazil

Eunice Katunda (1915-1991), Brazil 

Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983), Argentina

Antonio Lauro (1917-1986), Venezuela

Laurindo Alemeida (1917-1995), Brazil

Juan Orrego-Salas (1919–2019), Chile

Fabio González-Zuleta (1920–2011), Colombia

Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), Argentina

Margarita Luna García (1921-2016), Dominican Republic

Gerardo Guevara (1930-2024), Ecuador 

Lalo Schifrin (1932-2025), Argentina

Jacqueline Nova Sondag (1935–1975), Colombia

José “Pepe” Martínez (b. 1941-2016), Mexico

Blas Emilio Atehortúa (b. 1943-2020), Colombia

Daniel Catán (1949-2011), Mexico

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Living 

Leo Brouwer (b. 1939), Cuba

Tania Léon (b. 1943), Cuba

Robert Xavier Rodríguez (b. 1946), Texas

Paquito D’Rivera (b. 1948), Cuba

Ricardo Iznaola (b. 1949), Cuban-born

Arturo Márquez Navarro (b. 1950), Mexico 

Willie Colón (b. 1950), Puerto Rico, New York 

Sérgio Assad (b. 1952), Brazil

Roberto Sierra (b. 1953), Puerto Rico 

Miguel del Águila (b. 1957), Uruguay 

Adina Izarra (b. 1959), Venezuela 

Ana Lara (b. 1959), Mexico

María Granillo (b. 1962), Mexico

Gustavo Parra (b. 1963), Colombia

Gabriela Ortiz (b. 1964), Mexico

Diego Vega (b. 1968), Colombia

Gabriela Montero (b. 1970), Venezuela

Victoriano Valencia (b. 1970), Colombia

Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972), Peru, Berkeley

Marcos Balter (b. 1974), Brazil 
Juan Pablo Carreño (b. 1977), Colombia

Clarice Assad (b. 1978), Brazil

Jimmy López b. 1978), Peru 

Canela Palacios (b. 1979), Bolivia

Angélica Negrón (b. 1981), Puerto Rico

James Díaz (b. 1990), Colombia 

To reach Paul Horsley, performing arts editor, send an email to paul@kcindependent.com or find him on Facebook (paul.horsley.501) or X/Instagram (@phorsleycritic).