Award to Miller brings reprise of music prize

All eyes and ears were center stage Feb. 9 as President Baird Tipson presented L. David Miller, former dean of the School of Music with the prestigious Canticum Novum Award during composer and inventor John Chowning’s Wittenberg Series concert of computer music.

Miller joins a distinguished group of musicians in receiving this award, which the Department of Music faculty voted unanimously last semester to present to Miller.

The award, which means “New Song” in Latin, is given to musicians who have advanced music through composition, performance or leadership.

The award was created while Chowning served as dean of the School of Music, but it has not been awarded since 1981.

Chowning, ’59, who discovered the frequency modulation (FM) algorithm that made it possible for the digital synthesizer to make sounds ranging from bells to strings, received the award in 1978.

“It was a very special award when the School of Music existed,” said Trudy Faber, professor of music and department chair. “Dr. Miller really built up the School of Music, and we wanted to honor him.”

During Miller’s tenure at Wittenberg from 1955 to 1978, the School of Music became one of the top programs among small colleges in the nation. At its height, the School of Music had more than 175 majors.

“I am quite honored to receive this award, reflecting on my quarter century at Wittenberg University,” Miller said. “The best years of my professional life were spent at Wittenberg.”

Under Miller’s leadership, the academic program expanded to include diverse traditions including the African-American tradition and the music of the Orient and India as well as liturgical and western traditions.

Miller was also credited with spearheading the effort to design and build Krieg Hall, which has been the home of Wittenberg music since its completion in 1967.

Miller was also chiefly responsible for raising funds for several of the pianos and organs still in use. In addition, the Wittenberg Choir, first under Miller’s direction then under John W. Williams’, received international acclaim.

Wittenberg singers logged 67,500 miles, giving concerts in 29 countries and five continents under Miller’s direction from 1961 to 1972.

Another highlight of Miller’s career was being elected as president of the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada, which was headquartered for several years on Wittenberg’s campus.

It later moved to Southern Methodist University and is now at Yale University. Miller’s late wife, Ann, was also a key member of the Wittenberg community and the Ann Miller Gallery located in Koch Hall is named for her.

She was executive director of the Wittenberg Guild from its inception in 1959 until failing health forced her to resign the position in 1976.

Miller, who has never remarried, admitted that his wife’s death in 1977 was a big reason for his decision to leave Wittenberg. “We were a team. We went out together and talked to various constituencies.

I would not have achieved what I did at Wittenberg without my wife,” he said. After leaving Wittenberg Miller became professor of sacred music at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, S.C.

Miller is a graduate of Lenoir Rhyne College where he also received an honorary doctorate in music. He received his master of divinity from Lutheran Southern Seminary and master of sacred music from Union Theological Seminary.

Canticum Novum Award winners

1967 Walter E. Buszin
1969 John Bennett Ham
1971 J. Ralph and Patricia Corbett
1972 Jackson B. Wiley
1973 Charles H. Benner
1974 Daniel T. Moe
1975 Jan O. Bender
1976 Thomas K. Scherman
1978 John M.Chowning
1981 Robert J. Haskins