NEW YORK (AFP) — US composer Elliott Carter, one of the USA’s greatest living artists, celebrated his 100th birthday Thursday.

Major concerts were planned to mark the centenary in New York, London and Paris, according to the website www.carter100.com.

Described by 20th century classical music giant Aaron Copland as “one of America’s most distinguished creative artists in any field,” Carter has been a major force for five decades.

In 1960 he won the first of two Pulitzer prizes with his groundbreaking String Quartet Number Two.

His 1961 Double Concerto for harpsichord, piano and two chamber orchestras and his 1967 Piano Concerto were described by Russian genius Igor Stravinsky as “masterpieces.”

But Carter, who has been awarded Germany’s Ernst von Siemens Music Prize and France’s Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres,” never rested on his laurels.

He composed no fewer than nine pieces in 2007 and is scheduled to have written another seven by the end of this year.