The purpose of the competition is to commemorate the legacy of one of Israel’s foremost composers, who made a significant contribution to the expansion and development of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance in general, and to the establishment and advancement of the Department of Music Theory, Composition, and Conducting in particular.

Mark Kopytman was born in 1929 in the former Soviet Union. He was a graduate of the Chernivtsi Medical Institute, held a master’s degree in music from the Lviv Academy of Music, and earned a doctorate from the Tchaikovsky National Conservatory in Moscow.

He taught at music academies in Moscow, Alma-Ata, and Kishinev. Following his immigration to Israel in 1972, Professor Kopytman served as a composition teacher at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, as well as a regular guest lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. For many years, he served as Head of the Department of Music Theory, Conducting, and Composition, and as Dean of the Faculty of Composition, Conducting, and Music Education. He lectured in seminars and masterclasses throughout Europe and the United States. He mentored generations of students who have gone on to hold prominent positions as composers in Israel and around the world.

Mark Kopytman was awarded the Koussevitzky Prize and the ACUM Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as a composer.