Sándor Veress (1907–1992) is one of the most notable European composers from the mid-20th century. He was born in Kolozsvár, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (later Cluj-Napoca, Romania). The first half of his life was spent in Hungary. In 1923, Veress was accepted to the the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. His composition teachers were Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. He was actively involed in music ethnology at the Ethnographic Museum in Budapest. In 1943, Veress began teaching at the Franz List Academy, where his students included György Ligeti and György Kurtág, among others. He wrote numerous chamber music pieces and symphonic works, as well as the opera, Hangyegyek lázadása (1931). Disappointed by the communist regime in his country, in 1949 Veress left Hungary and settled in Bern, where he spent the rest of his life. He taught at the Bern Conservatory and was also a visitng professor at a number of American music universities. He became a citizen of Switzerland in 1992, a few months before his death.