Eli Philip Hocking (b. 2005) is a composer, organist, and poet from Park Ridge, Illinois—currently based in Bloomington, Indiana. Eli’s work explores the intersection of language, culture, and sound. Described as having an “intriguing programmatic vision” by Don Freund, Eli approaches music as both artifact and inquiry, his compositions reflect a deep curiosity about the human condition—an attempt to understand, document, and give shape to the experience of living. Drawn to the unvarnished sincerity of folk music traditions, Eli has transcribed songs from northern Japan and the Bayaka people of Central Africa. Drawing from his background in linguistics, Eli incorporates the rhythmic and melodic contours of world languages into his compositions, shaping a voice that is both diverse and deeply personal.

Eli co-wrote a choral work premiered in 2025 by NOTUS, IU’s leading contemporary vocal ensemble. He has also had pieces premiered by trumpeter Stephen Stavnicky, violist Addison Hightower, and gayageum player Lee Yurim 이유림. Using his knowledge of the French language, Eli has set poems of Apollinaire and Lamartine for choir, and has given presentations of those works to the French and Italian department at IU.

Eli’s organ repertoire includes Messiaen’s Apparition de L’Église éternelle, Vierne’s Berceuse, and Sark’s Toccata Primi Toni. He has written numerous organ works, and has studied organ with Lois Leong, Hayden Glasgow-Ives, and Robert Nicholls.

Eli is currently pursuing a BM degree in Composition from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with minors in French and Linguistics. He has studied composition with Don Freund, Han Lash, Christopher Trapani, Stephen Hartke, Alexey Logunov, and Younje Cho, and is currently studying with PQ Phan. Eli enjoys reading, cooking, and running. In his free time, he is also learning to play the drumset, congas, and mountain dulcimer, as well as picking up Icelandic.