FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 18, 2008
Contact: Macaulay Knight
662-329-7119
mknight@pa.muw.edu

Montalto receives composer’s award

COLUMBUS, Miss. – Dr. Richard Montalto, professor of music at Mississippi University for Women has been chosen as an American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers Award recipient. He has received this award every year since 1982.

“I appreciate being recognized by the leading performance rights organization in the U.S. for my continued creation of new music,” said Montalto. “The award reflects the importance of the composer in today's society.”

The award is granted by an independent panel and based on the unique prestige of each composer’s catalog of original compositions as well as recent performances. ASCAPlus Awards are granted annually to those composers and lyricists who earn less than $25,000 in annual domestic performance royalties, in recognition of their contribution to the art.

Montalto holds degrees in composition from the University of New Orleans, Tulane University and the University of North Texas. His works have been performed at Carnegie Hall, the Montreaux International Jazz Festival, Symphony Space in New York, the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center, the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, the International Computer Music Conference and throughout the United States and Europe. He has served as president of the Southeastern Composers' League and president of the College Music Society Southern Chapter.