Eric William Barnum

A conductor and composer, Eric William Barnum continues to passionately seek new ground in the choral field. Working with choirs of all kinds, his collaborative leitmotif endeavors to provide intensely meaningful experiences for singers and audiences.

Barnum is currently the Director of Choral Activities at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and previously, the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. He holds a DMA in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington (Seattle, WA), under the direction of Dr. Geoffrey Boers. He has an advanced degree in conducting from Minnesota State University (Mankato, MN), primary study with Dr. David Dickau, as well as BAs in Composition and Vocal Performance from Bemidji State University (Bemidji, MN). He has appeared as a conductor across the United States and the International stage, and has worked with some of the most innovative minds in the choral field.

His compositional voice and vision continue to gain popularity around the globe with performances from choirs Internationally. He composes for choral ensembles of all types, from professional to youth choirs, and has received numerous awards and prestigious grants such as a Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship and a McKnight Foundation Grant. He has also held residencies with such ensembles as Choral Arts (Seattle, WA), Cantus (Trondheim, Norway), The Rose Ensemble (St. Paul, MN), Kantorei (Denver, CO), Magnum Chorum (Minneapolis, MN), Coro Vocal Artists (Tucson, AZ), as well as with many high schools and collegiate choirs.


Compositions by Eric William Barnum

After Music

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, piano, 3-5 min.

Antiphon to the Holy Spirit

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, a cappella, 5-10 min.

Benediction

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, a cappella, less than 3 min.

Carol of the Angels

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 3-5 min.

Chronologic

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 3-5 min.

Confessions

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, piano, 3-5 min.

Conflagration

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, piano, 5-10 min.

Corpus Christi

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 5, a cappella, 3-5 min.

Fall, Sweet Music

Eric William Barnum treble choir, Difficulty : 4, piano, 5-10 min.

Healing Heart

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, piano, 5-10 min.

Heaven Full of Stars

Eric William Barnum treble choir, Difficulty : 5, a cappella, 3-5 min.

Hic est Martínus

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 5, a cappella, 5-10 min.

I Come Singing

Eric William Barnum tb choir, Difficulty : 4, percussion, 3-5 min.

I Sing of the Northland

Eric William Barnum treble choir, Difficulty : 3, piano, 3-5 min.

In paradisum

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 5-10 min.

Lotos

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 3-5 min.

Love is Enough

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, a cappella, 3-5 min.

Lucy (cycle)

Eric William Barnum high voice, Difficulty : 4, piano, 10+ min.

Mitzvah

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 5-10 min.

Music in the Night

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, piano, 3-5 min.

Psalm 67

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, 1-2 instruments, 3-5 min.

Remembered Light

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 5-10 min.

Spark (To Music)

Eric William Barnum treble choir, Difficulty : 5, a cappella, 3-5 min.

Summer's Ocean

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, piano, 5-10 min.

Take My Hand

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, a cappella, 3-5 min.

The Frozen Grail (cycle)

Eric William Barnum high voice, Difficulty : 4, piano, 10+ min.

The Garden

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, a cappella, 3-5 min.

The Long View

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 3, a cappella, 5-10 min.

The Morning of Eternity

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, piano, 5-10 min.

The Snow Shower

Eric William Barnum treble choir, Difficulty : 5, a cappella, 5-10 min.

The Universal

Eric William Barnum tb choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 3-5 min.

The White Birds

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 5-10 min.

The Young Man's Song

Eric William Barnum tb choir, Difficulty : 2, piano, 3-5 min.

There is Sweet Music Here (Barnum)

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, piano, 3-5 min.

Walk

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 3-5 min.

Wellspring

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 5, a cappella, 5-10 min.

What is this light?

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 3-5 min.

Wrapped

Eric William Barnum mixed choir, Difficulty : 4, a cappella, 3-5 min.

1: (Easy) No divisi in voice parts, accompaniment doubles or supports vocal parts, diatonic, symmetrical phrases, textures mostly homophonic, simple rhythms, stepwise voice leading (conjunct), moderate ranges, no extended techniques, and limited sustained singing.

2: (Medium Easy) Limited divisi, voices somewhat independent from accompaniment, some chromatics, phrases may be longer or more fragmented, mostly homophonic, moderate rhythmic complexity, some difficult intervals (disjunct motion), moderate ranges, extended techniques are simple, limited sustained singing.

3. (Medium) Limited divisi, unaccompanied, or with independent accompaniment (voice parts not doubled), many chromatics, phrases of varying lengths, more contrapuntal textures, moderately complex rhythms, some difficult intervals (disjunct motion), moderately difficult/challenging ranges, extended techniques are potentially challenging, and some sustained singing.

4. (Medium Difficult) Abundant divisi, unaccompanied, or accompanying instruments are fully independent from voice parts, many chromatics and/or key changes, long and/or broken phrases, potentially little homophony, complex rhythms, many difficult intervals (disjunct motion), difficult/challenging ranges, potentially difficult extended techniques, and a demand for sustained singing.

5. (Difficult) Adundant divis, unaccompanied, or accompanying instruments are fully independent from voice parts, many chromatics and/or key changes, long and/or broken phrases, potentially little homophony, complex rhythms, extreme ranges, use of challenging or unusual extended vocal techniques, abundant sustained singing.