John Carter

John Carter (b. 1930) has enjoyed a long and productive writing career with many choral compositions, both sacred and secular; over sixty collections of piano works including settings of hymns and carols, and more recently original compositions for piano. His music may be found in the catalogs of Hope Publishing Co., Beckenhorst Press, Augsburg Fortress Press, Alliance Music Publishers, and of course, EC Schirmer and MorningStar Music, and several other publishers.

He taught in public schools in Ohio and was on the faculty at Morehead State University in Kentucky. John has been a church musician since college days, and has held Minister of Music and Pastoral Musician positions in Presbyterian, Methodist, American Baptist and UCC congregations.

Many of his choral works have been written in collaboration with his wife, Mary Kay Beall, and they have written numerous musicals, both for schools and drama groups, and a musical drama, “Ruth” based on the Biblical story. They have collaborated on numerous commissioned choral works for schools, churches and community choral groups.

John holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and a Master of Music degree from Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee. He studied composition with Forrest Goodenough and Philip Slates.