Merril Kay Bradshaw
Composer, Teacher, Author, Performer
Born June 18, 1929 in Lyman, Wyoming
Died July 12, 2000 in Bountiful, Utah
Father: Melvin K. Bradshaw
Mother: Lorene Hamblin Bradshaw
Education:
Elementary Schools:Lyman, Wyoming; Salt Lake City, Utah [Forest School, Garfield School]; Hunter, Utah [Whittier School].
High School:Monroe Jr. High (Salt Lake County); Irving Jr. High (Salt Lake City); Jefferson High and Lincoln High (Portland, Oregon); and Lyman High (Lyman, Wyoming). Graduated May 1947.
Bachelor of Arts Degree:Brigham Young University (1947-54, Interrupted for 2 1/2 years for an LDS Mission to Switzerland 1950-52). Major: Music Theory, Minor: English.
Master’s Degrees:Brigham Young University (1955) Master of Arts: Major in Music Theory and Composition, Minor in Piano.
University of Illinois (1956) Master of Music: Major in Composition, Minor in Philosophy.
Doctor of Musical Arts Degree: University of Illinois 1962. Major in Composition, Minor in American Literature. Thesis: Composition Orchestra Music and a scholarly thesis, Tonal Movement in the Early Works of Anton Webern.
Career:
Assistant in German, Brigham Young University, 1952-53.
Fellow in Music, University of Illinois, 1956-57.
Assistant in Music, University of Illinois, 1961-62.
Instructor, Music Theory, Chanute Air Force Base, 1962.
Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor of Music, Brigham Young University, 1957-1985.
John R. Halliday Professor of Music, Brigham Young University, 1985-94.
Executive Director, Barlow Endowment for Music Composition, 1983-99.
Other assignments at BYU:
Chairman, Composition and Theory, Brigham Young University, 1973-83.
University General Education Council, 1982-88 [Chairman 1986-88].
University General Education Advisory Committee, 1977-79.
Distinguished Faculty Lecture Committee, 1962-64.
Chairman, Music Department Lecture Committee, 1990-92.
Composer-in-Residence, 1967-94.
Associate Director, Study Abroad in Austria, 1970, 1983, 1989.
University Rank Advancement Council, 1985-87.
University Grades Policy Committee, 1966.
Developed the Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from 1958-83.
Outside Activities:
Founding Chairman, Arts Council of Central Utah, 1968-69.
Contemporary Music Project, 1974-76. Guest Teacher at Summer Session, CMP at Indiana University, 1974.
Special Consultant to MENC Conventions in Portland, Tuscon, Ann Arbor, and Atlanta.
Consultant for CMP methods: Grand Prairie, Texas College, 1975.
Consulting Editor for Holt Reinhart and Winston for new book on Music Fundamentals, 1975-77.
President, Sonos Music Resources, 1972-76.
Chairman, Committee to produce the new LDS Hymnbook, 1972-77. Much of the work that culminated in the 1984 Hymnbook was done by this committee.
Member of the Provo City Arts Board Executive Committee, 1981-83.
Teacher, Institute for Continued Learning, Dixie College, St. George, Utah, 1999-2000.
Executive Vice President, St. George Music Hall Foundation, 1999-2000.
Awards and Honors:
1947: National Scholastic Magazines Composition Contest: Honorable Mention.
1954: Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society (Chapter President, 1966-67).
1956: Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honorary Society (one Graduate student per year inducted).
1958, 63, 68, 75, 77: BYU Research Incentives.
1967-68: Karl G. Maeser Creative and Research Award.
1969, 1983: BYU Forum Speaker.
1981: Distinguished Faculty Lecturer.
1984: Edgemont Stake Exemplary Manhood Award.
1984: Composer of the Year, Composer’s Guild International.
1986: Phi Kappa Phi National Artist Award Nominee.
1992: College of Fine Arts Faculty Creativity Award.
Biographical Lexicons:
Who’s Who in the West
International Who’s Who in Music
Who’s Who in Community Service
Notable Americans of the Bicentennial Era
Who’s Who in American Education
Organizational Memberships:
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
Society of Composers Inc. (American Society of University Composers)
Music Educators National Conference
Music Teachers National Association
American Music Center
International Webern Society
Composer’s Guild International
American Composers Forum (Vice President, 1998-2000)
Compositions: See Catalogue.
Publications: See His Words.
Music in the Next Decade. Utah Music Educators Journal, 1958.
Improvisation and Comprehensive Musicianship. Music Educators Journal, January, 1980.
Music and Spirit: a Mosaic. Arts and Inspiration, BYU Press, 1980.
Formalized Music: Thought and Mathematics in Composition. Reviewed for the Music Educator’s Journal, April, 1973.
I have a question. Article in the Ensign.
Spirit and Music: Letters to a Young Mormon Composer. BYU Press, 1977, 79.
Twelve-tone Composition (1969) unpublished manuscript.
The Creative Mind (Rough draft finished July, 2000).