His protégé, Leonard Bernstein, is considered the best conductor of Copland’s work.Ĭopland died in Sleepy Hollow, New York. He had a major influence on the style of the next generation of American composers. His composition “A Lincoln Portrait” was withdrawn as part of the inaugural concert for President Eisenhower.Ĭopland dedicated the remainder of his life to composing, conducting and teaching. Although he was cleared of charges, Hollywood blacklisted him. His score for Martha Graham’s ballet “Appalachian Spring” (1944) earned him a Pulitzer Prize.ĭuring the communist witch hunts of the 1950’s, Copland was brought before Congress and questioned about whether he was affiliated with the Communist party. His compositions for film include “Of Mice and Men” (1939), “Our Town” (1940) and “The Heiress” (1949), which won him an Academy Award for best score. He composed a wide variety of music, including piano and orchestral arrangements, ballets, and Hollywood film scores. There he studied under Nadia Boulanger, who was his muse throughout his time in France.Ĭopland’s compositions are famous for rejection of the neo-Romantic form and his creation of a unique American style. Inspired by modern European music, he moved to France and attended the American Conservatory at Fontainebleau. After graduating high school, Copland played and composed works for dance bands. Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (/ ær n k o p l n d / Novem December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music.