The James Ming Prize in Composition

Established upon the retirement of James Ming, a professor of music theory and composition at the Lawrence Conservatory from 1944 to 1982, this award honors outstanding creative talent and achievement in music composition. Alex Poplawski, from Boulder, Colorado, composes ambitious, imaginative music with a diligent dedication to his art. Irish folk music influences much of his work. Alex's exuberant Fdiddling includes original tunes in the styles of Irish air, jig, and reel. His artfully constructed Fading Canvasses juxtaposes a gentle folk melody with an ambient harmonic texture. This April, Alex was a featured composer on the Colorado College Band Concert, receiving a world premiere of his composition Voyager Crosses the Heliopause for concert band and organ. Alex is co-president of The Composers of Lawrence University (CLU).