Eli Philip Hocking is a composer, linguist-writer, and multi-instrumentalist from Chicago, Illinois—currently based in Bloomington, Indiana. Eli approaches art as both artifact&biofact, and his creations reflect a deep curiosity about the condition of life—an attempt to understand, document, & give shape to the diverse experiences of all living organisms. He is interested in corporal-visceral rhythms, liberated tuning systems, & un-colonizing emotional expressions. Drawing from his background in linguistics, Eli incorporates the rhythmic&melodic contours of world languages (and made up ones) into his compositions.

Eli has performed Toccata Primi Toni by Einar Trærup Sark, Messe de la Pentecôte by Messiaen, and a partial rendition of Stockhausen’s Plus-Minus No. 14 on the organ. He has premiered vocal works as a part of NOTUS, Indiana University’s contemporary vocal ensemble, including a work he co-composed with Courage Barda, La Mandoline. Eli has also performed his own acoustic-electronic works, including Wind through trees and Bittersweet Flower.

Eli is currently pursuing a BM degree in Composition from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University with minors in French and Linguistics. He has studied composition with Don Freund, PQ Phan, & Gabriel Jenks.