Jack Beeson studied at the Eastman School and had private lessons with Bartók in New York. He studied musicology at Columbia University and later became a professor there, eventually serving as head of the music department. He received many awards, including a Fulbright in 1949-1950. Beeson's compositional style has been compared to that of Douglas Moore, especially in its feeling for lyrical line. Both composers were successful in creating opera subjects from American literature and culture. ~ Lynn Vought, Rovi