MMTA NOTES
Winter 2000
Vol. XXXI No. 2
CONTENTS

MMTA Commissioned Composition Chair Report Composer Paul Rudy provided an excellent new composition which was successfully premiered at the November Convention at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar. His work, "Church Keys," for piano and electroacoustic tape, made use of the dichotomy existing in the texts of familiar hymns (one of kindness and the other of confrontation). The melodies and harmonies of the hymns were woven into a more abstract texture to create the overall structure of the piece, which was expertly performed by HyeKyung Lee. We wish Paul the very best as "Church Keys" is considered for the national award. In addition, the MMTA Composer of the Year for 2000 has been chosen. John Akins, of Evangel University in Springfield, will be providing a new work for the next state convention. We look forward to hearing it at that time. It is also not too early to make nominations for Commissioned Composer for the 2001 Convention. I particularly encourage you to suggest composers whose work can be widely disseminated after the premiere. Please E-mail me your suggestions regarding possible composers, or the commissioning process in general. I would love to hear what you think.   John Prescott jsp304f@mail.smsu.edu