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St. Olaf sophomore named Minnesota Collegiate Composer of the Year
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.
Scriven |
"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.