Eric William Barnum (b. 1979), choral director and composer, continues to seek new ground musically. Working with choirs of all types and styles, his collaborative leitmotif endeavors to provide intensely meaningful experiences for singers and audiences.

Barnum, CMA, is currently completing the DMA program at the University of Washington, under the direction of Dr. Geoffrey Boers. He has an advanced degree in conducting from Minnesota State University, primary study with Dr. David Dickau, as well as BAs in Composition and Vocal Performance from Bemidji State University. He has appeared as a conductor across the United States, and has had the opportunity to work with the most innovative minds in the choral field.

Barnum’s voice and vision is gaining popularity around the globe with performances from choirs internationally. He continually composes for all choral ensembles, from professional to youth choirs. He has been Composer-in-Residence for ensembles such as The Rose Ensemble, Kantorei (Denver, Colorado), and CORO Vocal Artist. His music is found on recordings by several groups, most notably Chanticleer and Choral Arts.

Barnum was named the commissioned composer for the 2007 Minnesota All-State Choir. He also received honorable mention in the 2006 Morton Gould Young Composer Competition and was a winner of the 2006 VocalEssence Essentially Choral Competition. He was a recipient of both a Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship and a McKnight Foundation Grant in 2005. He received a JCCP Composer’s Grant (funded by the Jerome Foundation in association with the American Composer’s Forum) in 2004. He was also the winner of the Chanticleer Composer Competition in 2003 with She Walks in Beauty, premiered by the world-renowned ensemble.

Barnum currently lives in Wisconsin acting as Lecturer in Choral Music at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh.