Few people have had a greater impact on the performing arts in America than William Schuman. President of The Juilliard School from 1945 to 1961 and of Lincoln Center from 1962 to 1968, Schuman was not only an "artistic catalyst," instrumental in shaping how America perceived and supported the performing arts, but was also a prolific composer known for the vitality, lyricism, and humanistic qualities of his music.