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Merritt earns award for string of successful compositions

By Trent Chaffee '09
November 21, 2007

Assistant Professor of Music Composition and Theory Justin Merritt has earned a 2007 ASCAPlus Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers for his successful string of published compositions for choir, orchestra, band and electronic media during the year.

The purpose of the award, which has been given each year since 1960, is to reward writers' work with payment that would not otherwise be received and to compensate writers whose works are performed substantially in media not surveyed by ASCAP.

"This is a very nice recognition for the good year I've had," Merritt says.

Pieces Merritt composed that were performed in 2007 include "Fire Sermon," performed by the St. Olaf College Chapel Choir and St. Olaf Orchestra; "Hay Dias," performed by a cappella singers Eric Banks and The Esoterics; and "Aqueous," a dance piece including sopranos, flutes, handbells and electronic media performed by Janice Roberts and CompanyDance.

Two more of Merritt's pieces, "Standard Deviation" for violin and "New City" for violin and piano, will be performed in February 2008.

Merritt says part of the award money will go to pay for what he spent to design his new web page.

In 2000, Merritt was the youngest winner ever of the ASCAP Foundation/Rudolph Nissim Award. Other prizes include the 2006 Polyphonos Prize, the 2001 Kuttner String Quartet Competition and the 2000 Left Coast Chamber Ensemble Composition Competition Award. Merritt is currently working on composing a piece for the St. Olaf Orchestra.

Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading performing rights organization in the United States. It represents the world's largest repertory, totaling more than $8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 300,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers.

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