Quite the musician: MSU Libraries honors newest Docher Award recipient
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 花秀直播 State junior music education major from Decatur, Alabama, is the university鈥檚 newest recipient of an award recognizing academic and musical excellence.
Eli N. Denson is being recognized as this year鈥檚 recipient of the Keyone Docher Student Achievement Award, named for MSU music education major and Weir resident Keyone Docher who died in 2014 following a long battle with cancer.
Denson will perform virtually March 27 during the 7 p.m. show that is part of MSU鈥檚 15th annual Charles H. Templeton Ragtime and Jazz Festival. For viewing information, visit .
With a focus on classical guitar, Denson also serves as the music theory and ear training tutor for the university鈥檚 nationally accredited Department of Music. He has participated in the Chamber Singers and Men of State choirs, as well as the MSU jazz and guitar ensembles since his freshman year.
Denson got his start in composing for visual media when he was brought on by his sister Emma to compose and conduct music for 鈥淔rost: An Original Play with Music鈥 that she directed and that was produced by Starkville theater company The Basket Cases.
The following spring, Denson teamed up with Theatre MSU to compose music for its production of Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淭he Tempest.鈥 In the spring of his sophomore year, Denson scored the last Basket Cases production 鈥淭he Troll Prince,鈥 as well as the MSU Shackouls Honors College production of 鈥淧rometheus Bound.鈥
In 2020, Denson expanded his work beyond the stage when he was commissioned to score an original short film created by a University of Alabama student.
This spring, MSU鈥檚 Men of State choir will premiere Denson鈥檚 most recent work 鈥淲hen Great Souls Die,鈥 which is based on Maya Angelou鈥檚 text 鈥淲hen Great Trees Fall.鈥
Following completion of his bachelor鈥檚 degree, Denson plans to earn a master鈥檚 in composition for visual media and aims to work in the film music industry.
In addition to Denson, previous Docher Award recipients include Daniel A. Rorabaugh of Long Beach; Quinlan X. Gray of De Kalb, Texas; Catherine N. Patriquin of Ocean Springs; Abby L. Weinstein of Marietta, Georgia; Tyler J. Stallings of Pontotoc; and Sarah G. Wallace of Brandon.
For more on MSU Libraries, visit ; College of Education and its Department of Music, and .
MSU is 花秀直播鈥檚 leading university, available online at .