Composer John Beall was born in Belton, Texas, in 1942, and grew up in the coastal city of Beaumont. He studied composition at Baylor University and at the Eastman School of Music where he was a student of Samuel Adler. While at Eastman he received the 1972 Louis Lane and Howard Hanson Prizes for his compositions. Dr. Beall was Professor of Music and Composer-in-Residence at West Virginia University from 1978 until his retirement and appointment as Professor Emeritus in 2014.
In 1990 he was named Benedum Distinguished Scholar for the Humanities and Performing Arts by West Virginia University and has been an annual winner of Serious Music Awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). He has been named Composer of the Year by the West Virginia Music Teacher’s Association twice. His work is available from Carl Fischer, Inc. and Southern Music Co.; recordings from iTunes.