Paul Creston (born Giuseppe Guttoveggio) (1906–1985) was an Italian American composer of classical music. Born in New York City to Sicilian immigrants, Creston was self-taught as a composer. His work tends to be fairly conservative in style, with a strong rhythmic element. His pieces include six symphonies; a number of concertos, including two for violin, one for marimba and orchestra (premiered by Ruth Stuber), one for one piano, one for two pianos, one for accordion and one for alto saxophone (the latter dedicated to Cecil Leeson); a fantasia for trombone and orchestra (composed for and premiered by Robert Marsteller). Also for alto saxophone he wrote a Rapsodie for Jean-Marie Londeix; a suite (1935) and a sonata (Op. 19, 1939), both dedicated to Cecil Leeson (the sonata was arranged by Marco Ciccone for saxophone and orchestra in 2008); and also a suite for organ, Op. 70.
Several of his works were inspired by the poetry of Walt Whitman.
He died in Poway, California, a suburb of San Diego.
Creston was one of the most performed American composers of the 1940s and 1950s. Several of his works have become staples of the wind band repertoire. Zanoni, Prelude and Dance and the Celebration Overture have been and still are on several state lists for contests across the USA.
Creston was also a notable teacher, whose students included the composers Irwin Swack, John Corigliano, Alvin Singleton, Elliott Schwartz, Frank Felice, Charles Roland Berry; accordionist/composer William Schimmel; and the jazz musicians Rusty Dedrick and Charlie Queener.