Merle J. Isaac

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Merle J. Isaac

Born	Merle John Isaac 1898 Iowa
Nationality	USA
Education	Bachelor of Musical Education, Vandercook College of Music Bachelor of Science, Lewis Institute
Occupation	Music Arranger

Merle John Isaac (born 1898, died 1996) was a prolific arranger who focused on arranging famous pieces for performers of lower experience, especially school orchestras. After graduating from the Vandercook College of Music, he began to teach at John Marshall High School, in Chicago, Illinois. While he was there, Isaac realized that there was little good music available to lower-level orchestras, and began to arrange music for his orchestra, beginning with Bohm's Perpetual Motion. After 35 years working in Chicago area schools, he retired from education, though he continued to be a clinician and guest conductor around the country, and also continued arranging. In 1993, the American String Teachers Association gave Isaac a lifetime achievement awards, and annually through 1997 continued giving awards under his name. ^[1] They also have an annual Merle J. Isaac composition contest to "encourage the composition, publication, and performance of music of quality for the benefit of school orchestra programs." ^[2]