Music Graduate Student Simon Lasky Wins a British Composer Award for his Piece “Close To Ecstasy”

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Jazz graduate student Simon Lasky is the winner of a British Composer Award for his composition “Close To Ecstasy.”

The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers & Authors (BASCA) presented Lasky with the award on December 4, 2018, at the British Museum in London. He was one of three to be nominated in the Jazz Composition for Small Ensemble category.

“Close to Ecstasy” was released on his 2018 album About the Moment recorded by Lasky and his band, The Simon Lasky Group. The piece is written for piano, harmonica, acoustic & electric guitar, fretless bass, drum kit, and percussion.

The British Composer Awards is hosted by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers & Authors (BASCA). The mission of the awards is to promote the art of composition, recognize the creative talent of composers and sound artists, and bring their music to a wider audience.

The awards ceremony was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on December 9.

Simon Lasky is a pianist, composer, arranger, and music educator pursuing his master’s degree in jazz studies at the USF School of Music.

For more on Lasky, visit the Simon Lasky Group website.