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Summarized by Rosemary Pollock
LDS Composer Merrill Bradshaw Dies
(Merrill K. Bradshaw)
Salt Lake Tribune 16Jul00 A2
BOUNTIFUL, UTAH -- Merrill K. Bradshaw passed away Wednesday, July 12
at Lakeview Hospital, Bountiful, Utah. He is survived by his wife,
Janet and their seven children. Merrill was born on June 18, 1929 in
Lyman, Wyoming. He will be remembered for his long and distinguished
career as Composer in Residence and as John R. Halliday Professor of
Music at Brigham Young University, where he served on the faculty for
37 years before retiring in 1994. In spite of all of his musical
accomplishments, he always counted his family as his most important
success.
Merrill composed over two hundred musical works, ranging from simple piano
pieces and songs to symphonies and concertos to oratorios and pageants. His
best known work, The Restoration, has been performed by the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir as well as regional, national and international symphonies
and choirs.
While at BYU Merrill garnered many teaching and research honors. He was
among the first to receive the Karl G. Maeser Research and Creativity Award.
He was the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer in 1981 and won a commission to do
a choral-orchestral work, Christ Metaphors, for the Institute for Ecumenical
and Cultural Research in Minneapolis. He chaired the Faculty General
Education Council for two years and was twice honored by addressing the BYU
Forum Assembly. He recently completed work on a book entitled, The Creative
Mind.
During his retirement, Merrill was directly involved with the Barlow
Endowment for Music Composition. He served as Executive Director until his
death. He founded the Arts Council of Central Utah and assisted with the
State Institute of the Arts.
He will be missed by his family for fond memories in his tomatoe garden,
family camping trips, sourdough pancakes, chocolate sauce, crossword puzzles
and a passion for knowledge in all areas. All seven children married in the
LDS temple. He is the father of four Eagle Scouts, and six returned
missionaries.
He is survived by his wife, Janet; seven children, Karen (Cory) Maxwell,
Tracy (Scot) Johnson, Brian (Kristine) Bradshaw, Keith (Tracey) Bradshaw,
Marie (Jeff) Durrant, Charles (Jennifer) Bradshaw, Daniel (Emily) Bradshaw;
26 grandchildren; mother; and sister, Shannon Holmgren. Preceded in death
by his father; and his brother, Richard.
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