Modern Russian composer Dmitri Kabelevsky (1904-1987) normally produced music that was easily accessible, even when using dissonances in the style of Shostakovich. Some of his orchestral pieces sound completely at home among 19th century works while much of his piano and chamber music stands with dissonant modernism.

Born in 1931, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Kagel emigrated to Germany in 1957. He was a frequent lecturer at the Darmstadt summer courses for new music.

Russian Romantic composer Vasily Kalinnikov (1866-1901) lived a short and hard life, yet through the help of Tchaikovsky became the conductor at the Malïy Theatre in Moscow. Rachmaninov brought some financial relief in his final years, yet it was only his death that increased the value of his compositions, many of which were purchased from his widow and published posthumously. Along with his two symphonies, he is most remembered for the instrumental music for Tolstoy's play Tsar Boris.

Greek composer Manolis Kalomiris (1883-1962) wrote three symphonies and five operas among his more than 200 works.

American Michael Kamen (1948-2003) is most recognized as a film composer, but he also has a number of ballets to his credit, as well as non-film music. Notable projects include the Lethal Weapon series, Highlander, Mr. Holland's Opus and Disney's live-action 101 Dalmations. Kamen has also produced and orchestrated other projects, including Pink Floyd's The Wall. Among his awards and honors are Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe nominations, ASCAP Awards, and a Grammy.

Modern Georgian composer Giya Kancheli was born in Georgia S. S. R. in 1935. Most known for symphonic and other large pieces.

Japanese composer Yoko Kanno (1964-) has composed music for many anime titles, as well as video games and commercials.

Czech composer Vitezslava Kapralova (1915-1940) saw her life and composing career end in France at the outbreak of World War II, a victim of fate and failing health, probably tuberculosis. She was often hailed as having a maturity beyond her years. Among her teachers were Charles Munch and Bohuslav Martinu, who was also her friend and for a time her lover.

(1917-1995)

(1674-1739) German composer of many operas and oratorios.

Modern American composer Jerome Kern (1885-1945) brought intellectual and emotional depth to the musical theater. Beginning in Tin Pan Alley and interpreting European fare for American audiences, he moved on to his own compositions. The pivotal change came when he and Oscar Hammerstein II collaborated on Show Boat. Almost every one of his compositions was intended for theatrical or cinematic use.

Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Aaron Jay Kernis was born in 1960 in Philadelphia. Compositions are small- and large-scale and both instrumental and vocal.

Modern English composer Albert Ketèlbey (1875-1959) is known as a popular more than a serious composer. Born in England, his first documented work was Sonata for Pianoforte, which he played for Elgar at age eleven. He wrote many marches but may be known most for his descriptive or atmospheric pieces, such as In a Monastery Gardenand In a Persian Market. He edited for music publishers and was music director of the Columbia Grammaphone Company. Some of his works were used in silent movies and the theater.His fame was probably greater on the Continent than in England.

Dutch composer Tristan Keuris was born in 1946.

Modern Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) absorbed his native folk music and that of Georgia and Azerbaijan. He was inclined toward music but didn't really start learning it until going to school in Moscow, completing his studies in 1933. He wrote many powerful pieces, all reflecting his heritage; most noted is the colorful "Saber Dance" from the ballet Gayane.

(1922- ) Composer of classical music of North India. He founded the Ali Akbar College of Music in Calcutta, India, and another one in Marin County, California.

(1821-1885) Although composing since his youth, he did not achieve success until the performance of his Requiem op.20 in Berlin on 8th February 1862 brought him instant fame.

American composer, bassist, and pianist Richard Kimball, is a Julliard graduate and Steinway featured artist. With Brazilian composer Gaudencio Thiago de Mello and New Jersey dentist dentist Drew Greenwald, he began the Amazônia Project, a program which brings dental care to the poorest natives in the Amazon Basin.

(c.1565-1634) English composer of madrigals.

Modern American composer, conductor, and pianist Leon Kirchner (1919-) studied with Schoenberg, Sessions, and Bloch yet even when composing for electronic instruments continued to work in a style more akin to the Romantic period.

(1721-1783) German composer and theorist who studied composition with J. S. Bach. His compositions include lieder, motets, cantatas, sonatas, and keyboard works.

Polish composer Stefan Kisielewski (1911 - 1991) was also a publicist, music writer and critic, fiction writer, essayist, journalist, and teacher.

Dutch composer Jacob Herman Klein (1688-1748) is almost forgotten. However, he left his mark especially with a set of sonatas for violincello.

(1952- )

Modern Hungarian composer and music educator Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967) spent much of his earlier career collecting folk tunes with Bartók. He later developed theories of education using music as part of an organic educational model, resulting in an International Kodály Society with a motto of "Let Music Belong to Everybody."

French composer Charles Koechlin (1867-1950) learned under Fauré and taught Poulenc and Tailleferre. His compositional talent is sometimes overshadowed by his ability as a musical theorist. Among his most known compositions is Le Livre de la Jungle, a symphonic poem based on Kipling's Jungle Book.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold may deserve to be called the Father of Modern Film Music. Born in Brünn, Austria in 1897, he wrote his first symphony at the age of 11. In 1935, he was asked to adapt Mendelssohn's music for a cinema performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Thus began his Hollywood career, which included four Academy Award nominations. He won twice, in 1936 and 1938. He died in 1957.

(1923- 1997), Urbana, Illinois. A student of Paul Hindemith at Yale, he spent his life composing and teaching. He taught at Colorado College and then at Yale where he assumed Hindemith's teaching duties. He was a founding editor of the "Journal of Music Theory" and he was a founder the New School for Music Study in Princeton, where he trained piano teachers and composed music for beginning and intermediate piano students.

Joseph Martin Kraus was born in Germany in 1756 and died in Stockholm, Sweden in 1792. A Classical composer, his music prefigured the coming Romantic period.

Austrian-American violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) will always be known first for his virtuoso playing and for techniques that others have copied. Yet he was also a competent composer and quite skilled at transcription.

The works of Modern Austrian-American composer Ernst Krenek (1900-91) invoke many styles of 20th century music. Born in Vienna, he studied with Austrian composer Franz Schreker and conducted in several small German theaters. He was briefly Mahler's son-in-law. The Anschluss drove him from Austria and he became a United States citizen, teaching at Vassar College and Hamline University, Saint Paul, Minnesota before settling in Palm Springs, California.

(1780-1849)

(1759-1831) German composer and violinist. After holding several lesser jobs, he eventually became imperial court composer and Kapellmeister(from 1818). He composed symphonies, concertos, chamber music (including string quartets); sacred works (Masses; an Ave Maria).

Slovenian composer Borut Krzisnik (1961-) has written classical and theatrical music.

(1914-1984), South Coffeevill, Oklahoma. He won the 1952 Pulitzer Prize in music for "Symphony Concertante," first performed by the Little Orchestra Society of New York, Thomas Sherman conducting. He wrote sound tracks for over 15 movies. A collection of his manuscripts resides in the Hale Library at Kansas State University.

Romantic composer Friedrich Kuhlau was born in Germany in 1786 and spent much of his life composing in Denmark. While he wrote other music, he is most known for his piano and flute music and for operas and other works inspired by Danish nationalism.

(1660-1722) German composer, predecessor of J. S. Bach as Thomaskantor.