ASCAP/IAJE Commission Pieces to Honor Frank Foster

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), along with the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE), have commissioned two composers to write pieces honoring saxist-composer-bandleader Frank Foster (pictured).

ASCAP and IAJE award cash grants each year to two individuals in the categories of established jazz composer of international prominence and emerging jazz composer under the age of 35. The grant recipients this year are Tim Hagans in the established jazz composer category and Ayn Inserto in the emerging composer category. Both compositions to honor Foster will debut in January at the 2007 IAJE conference in Toronto.

Tim Hagans is a renowned trumpeter and educator, having performed all over the world and taught at the University of Cincinnati and Berklee. He received two Grammy nominations in the Best Contemporary Jazz Album category for Animation/Imagination and Re: Animation in 2000 and 2001.

Ayn Inserto has received the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award consecutively from 2003 to 2006.

Perhaps best known for leading the Count Basie Orchestra, Foster helped to promote and protect performing rights as an ASCAP member.

Originally Published July 9, 2007