Feist, Leonard

Leonard Feist, publisher and copyright expert, was the son of a ladies’ corset salesman and part-time songwriter turned music publisher. He was born on December 12, 1910 in Pelham, New York to Leo and Bessie Feist. After graduating from Yale in 1932 and completing a docorate in music at Columbia University, Feist joined his father’s company. When Leo Feist, Inc. was sold to MGM in the late 1930’s, Feist began a career as an independent publisher. On December 6, 1937, Feist married Mary Regensburg, a well-known New York City interior designer, with whom he had two daughters--Linda and Betsy.

During his career as a music publisher, Feist was involved in the publication of concert, educational and sacred music. He was the first American publisher of Igor Stravinsky, represented Paul Hindemith and Arnold Schoenberg in the United States and published the works of ten Pulitzer Prize winners. In 1956, he assumed the presidency of Associated Music Publishers, Inc, and in 1966, he became president of the National Music Publishers’ Association.

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