Eric Malmquist (b. 1985) writes earnestly heartfelt and engaging music. He draws on a deep love of early music and modern influences to produce works that are focused and emotional.
He has been commissioned and performed by the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago, Baroque on Beaver Island, Chicago Composers Orchestra, the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, tubist Scott Tegge, historical keyboardist Charles Metz, historical flutist Leighann Daihl Ragusa, Chatter, Constellation Men’s Ensemble, the International Chamber Artists, the Newberry Consort and the Wicker Park Choral Singers.
Recent performances include City Music with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras Accelerando Strings; Open, Clear & Free, a 25-minute men's choir cycle on parks for Constellation Men's Ensemble; A History of Fatherhood in Sante Fe and Albuquerque with Chatter; and a concerto grosso for Baroque on Beaver Island entitled Great Lake Music.
His tuba sonata has been performed by Gene Pokorny of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Scott Tegge of Gaudete Brass. A passionate composer of art song, his works have been performed by Grammy-nominated tenor Nick Phan, Grammy-nominated soprano Laura Strickling, early music specialists Ellen Hargis and Josefien Stoppelenburg, and soprano Ariana Strahl. Ariana premiered his orchestra song set Let Me Sing with the Chicago Composers Orchestra in 2019. His commissioned work Prairie Music for CYSO was featured on Chicago’s Ear Taxi Festival in October 2016 and at Midwest Clinic in December 2016. CCO and WPCS co-commissioned and performed Blemish’d Muse, a 20-minute work for choir and orchestra, in 2016. His song cycle If You Travel Far Enough was the very first commission of the ICA, and was featured on Live from WFMT in 2015. Michael Hall premiered his Sonata for Viola and Piano in 2014, and Gaudete Brass premiered his Three Preludes in 2013.
His music has been performed across the US and has been featured repeatedly on 98.7WFMT. Recordings of his music are on sale: “Music in Bloom” featuring period instruments, on the disc “New Song” and by pianist Jonathan Hannau.
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