Iowa State Professor Jeffrey Prater was recently nationally recognized for his efforts in creating music.

Prater, an associate professor in music theory, was awarded the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ Award in the standard music category. The standard music category is made up of orchestral, choral and symphonic works.

“I think it is an award that is certainly well deserved,” said Kirk Smith, acting head of the ISU music department. “It shows all of the hard work he has put into his pieces.”

Prater, a composer, did not win the cash award for any one piece. He won the award for having a number of pieces performed by various orchestras and symphonies.

The Camella Symphony of Sacramento, Calif., performed his piece, “And on Earth, Peace.” Orchestras and symphonies in England and Switzerland have also played selections of his pieces.

“It’s nice to win an award like this because it gives you encouragement as a composer to put in the long hours it takes to work a piece together,” Prater said. “Some of the pieces I have worked on have taken over 100 hours to compose.”

Prater has been a professor at ISU since 1977. He is a graduate of ISU. He received his masters degree in music composition from Michigan State and his doctorate from the University of Iowa.

“Jeffrey is a superb teacher of theory at the elementary and advanced stages,” Smith said. “He encourages his students to work beyond their capabilities. If he left, I don’t think we could replace him as a professor.”

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, located in New York City, said the award is “…based upon the unique prestige value of each writer’s catalog of original compositions as well as recent performances of these works,” in a press release.

Prater is currently working with the ISU Chambers Singers and ISU Symphony Orchestra for a performance that will be released in April.