Professional Society Honors Baylor Faculty

by Amanda Lewis, Student Newswriter

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers has honored two Baylor University faculty members with the 2004-2005 ASCAP Award for excellence in music composition.
Dr. James M. Bennighof, vice provost of academic administration, and Dr. Scott McAllister, assistant professor of composition, are among artists recognized for their accomplishments in music composition.
According to the awards criteria, awards are granted by an independent panel and are based upon the unique prestige of each writer's catalog of original compositions, as well as recent performances in areas not surveyed by the society. Panelists include acclaimed music and drama critics, journalists, conductors and educators.
An ASCAP recipient since 1998, Bennighof devotes most of his compositions to children's and treble choir pieces, citing his daughter's participation in the Waco Girls Choir as his initial inspiration. He also incorporates his own textual ideas into his compositions, a task not often tackled by many composers.
McAllister began composing at age 7, and his works have been featured throughout Israel, Europe, China and North America. He has also participated in the Aspen, Chautaugua and The Prague/American Institute Summer Festivals. This is the eighth consecutive year McAllister has received this award.
ASCAP aims to financially support composers, authors and publishers of both classical and popular music. The society issues awards of various degrees to these artists in order to recognize their excellence in the advancement of American music. For more information about the society, visit their web site at www.ascap.com .