John Ness Beck

John Ness Beck was an American composer, arranger, conductor, teacher, and music publisher born in Warren, Ohio, on November 11, 1930. He entered The Ohio State University after high school and initially earned B.A. and B.S. degrees in 1952 with English as his major. After work in student-union administration and two years in the U.S. Army, where arranging became increasingly important to him, he returned to Ohio State for formal musical study and completed Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts degrees with composition as his major.

Beck taught harmony and music theory on the Ohio State faculty for seven years, then managed the University Music House in Columbus, gaining practical experience in publishing and merchandising. He also served for many years as music director of University Baptist Church in Columbus. In 1972 he joined John Tatgenhorst in founding Beckenhorst Press, which became an important publisher of church choral music. His sacred output included roughly 120 published anthems, hymns, and vocal solos.

In 1977 Beck composed a four-part anthem setting of Fred Kaan’s “Help Us Accept Each Other.” Its melodic material became the hymn tune ACCEPTANCE. Only months before his death from cancer in 1987, Beck established the John Ness Beck Foundation to encourage composers and arrangers of traditional sacred choral music.