Eric McElroy

**Eric McElroy** is an American pianist and composer whose work bridges contemporary poetry and classical music. Known for his expressive settings of modern verse, he released *Tongues of Fire* (2023), a debut album featuring English tenor James Gilchrist singing his original compositions based on poems by W.S. Merwin, Alice Oswald, and others. A globetrotting musician, McElroy studied at Washington State University, trained in Vienna, and delved into postgraduate work at Oxford while building a career as both performer and scholar.

His artistic reach extends beyond composition into musicology, where he edits the *Arthur Bliss Society Journal* and contributes to the *Sir Arnold Bax Society*. McElroy frequently collaborates with living composers and explores cultural history through lecture-recitals, blending his piano virtuosity with a researcher’s curiosity about music’s evolving narrative. Friendly and intellectually vibrant, his work reflects a deep engagement with poetry, place, and the creative process.

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