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St. Olaf sophomore named Minnesota Collegiate Composer of the Year

By Kari VanDerVeen
October 15, 2008

A choral piece that St. Olaf College sophomore Stanford Scriven composed as part of a high school project recently earned him the title of Minnesota Collegiate Composer of the Year.

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Scriven
The Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) awarded Scriven the honor for his composition titled "Lines to an Indian Air." The name and text of the piece are from a poem written by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Scriven says the inspiration for this piece came from both his love for choral music and his feelings for someone who, at the time he composed the piece, could not return his feelings.

"The poem delves into the concept of love as a source of fulfillment, as well as the cause of incredible pain and suffering. I suspect that most people have experienced these emotions and can relate to the text and, therefore, the piece as a whole," Scriven says. "My goal was to magnify the power of the text through music, and do so in a way that would touch any listener who has ever loved someone the way that I have."

Scriven says his composition instructor at St. Olaf, Assistant Professor in Music Theory and Composition Justin Merritt, encouraged him to enter the MMEA competition. Scriven had never submitted a composition for competition before, and he said learning that he had won was an "exciting moment."

The MMEA is an organization dedicated to providing high-quality music education for every student in Minnesota. A native of Beaverton, Ore., Scriven is majoring in vocal performance and music education. He plans to pursue a career in teaching while conducting, composing and actively singing.

Contact Kari VanDerVeen at 507-786-3970 or vanderve@stolaf.edu.