About
Award-winning composer Eric Choate "commands a highly inventive approach to the interleaving of polyphonic voices" (Smoliar, The Rehearsal Studio), and his compositions have been lauded as being "rapturous," and "quietly majestic" (Textura.org). His works have been performed internationally by renowned artists including VOCES8, musicians of the San Francisco Symphony, American Bach Soloists, Frederica von Stade, Johann Vexo, Vancouver Chamber Choir, Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, Brian Thorsett, Emil Miland, John Churchwell, Friction Quartet, One Found Sound, and others. His music is published by E.C. Schirmer and VOCES8 Publishing, and recordings of his work have been released on Arsis Audio and Ulysses Arts labels.
Eric is in demand internationally as a choral and orchestral conductor. Recent engagements include the Göteborgs Symfoniska Kör & Vokalensemble in Gothenburg, Sweden, San Francisco Symphony Chorus, and Berkeley Symphony Chorus. From 2019-2022, Eric was the 10th Artistic Director of the GRAMMY Award-winning San Francisco Boys Chorus, who under his direction performed with the San Francisco Opera, the San Francisco Symphony, and Apollo5, as well as a tour of Austria and Czechia. Highlights of his engagement as Assistant Conductor of the Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra include conducting performances of Verdi's Requiem in Ypres, Belgium with the Oost-Vlaams Symfonisch Orkest, Bach's Passion According to St. John, Britten's War Requiem, Dvořák's Stabat Mater, and Cherubini's Requiem.
Eric is professor of Choral and Organ music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and performs solo recitals across America and in Europe. In the summer of 2023, he was awarded a grant to study improvisation in the French style with Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin in Paris. He possesses an Associate Certificate from the American Guild of Organists and currently serves as Director of Music at The Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin.
Graduating with Departmental Distinction, Eric earned his Bachelor of Arts in Theory and Composition from St. Olaf College, where he studied with Timothy Mahr and Justin Merritt. He was awarded a fellowship to study harmony and counterpoint at the European American Musical Alliance in Paris, France, from which he graduated with Honorable Mentions in Harmony and Solfege. He holds a Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studied with David Conte. Eric lives in San Francisco with his wife, acclaimed soprano Ellen Leslie.
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