Moe was born in
Durham, NC. He studied musical composition at
Princeton University (BA) and at the
University of California at Berkeley (MA, PhD). Currently, he is the Professor of Composition and Theory at the
University of Pittsburgh where he co-directs the Music on the Edge new music concert series. At the
University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University, he has held visiting professorships. Moe is also active as a concert pianist, having performed works by hundreds of composers, from
John Cage and
Anthony Davis to
Stefan Wolpe. In 2003 Moe completed a 45-minute work for mezzo-soprano and ten players, setting a text of
David Foster Wallace. Moe wrote about setting Wallace for Fiction Writers Review.[1]
Selected compositions
Spirit Mountain for five players (2010)
Strenuous Pleasures for six players (2010)
Frozen Hours Melt Melodiously Into The Past for six players (2009)
Jozaphine Freedom an entertainment on text of
Denise Duhamel, for soprano, clarinet/bcl, piano/keyboard sampler (2009)
Lavished Sunlight, Frozen Hours setting of
Richard Wilbur for soprano, cello and piano (2009)
Dead Cat Bounce for five players (2009)
Kick & Ride (2008) Concerto for drum set and orchestra
Grand Prismatic (2007) for clarinet and piano
Gong Tormented solo percussion (2007)
Heavenly Labials setting of
Wallace Stevens for soprano, mezzo-soprano and piano (2007)
Mud Wrestling at the O.K. Corral for cello and piano (2007)
Superhero for six players (2006)
I Have Only One Itching Desire for percussion sextet (2006)
Market Forces saxophone quartet (2005)
The Legend of the Sad Triad for solo piano (2005)
Strange Exclaiming Music for violin and piano (2004)
Preamble & Dreamsong from the 4-5 a.m. REM Stage for alto flute or viola and piano (2003)
Kick & Ride.Superhero, Eight Point Turn, Kick & Ride. Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Robert Schultz, soloist, Gil Rose conductor. BMOP/sound CD1021
Strange Exclaiming Music. Curtis Macomber, violin; Stephen Gosling, piano; Michael Lipsey, percussion; New York Saxophone Quartet;
Raschèr Saxophone Quartet; DoublePlay Percussion Duo; Columbus State University Percussion Ensemble/Paul Vaillancourt conductor.
Naxos Records 8.559612.
Tri-Stan. text of
David Foster Wallace, Many Nessinger, mezzo-soprano, Sequitur,
Paul Hostetter, conductor. Koch International Classics KIC-CD-7736
Siren Songs, Sonnets to Orpheus, & A Warm Hello from the Alien Ant Farm. Christine Brandes, soprano, J. Karla Lemon, conductor, Jacqueline Leclair, oboe, Renee Jolles and Tom Chiu, violins, Toby Appel, viola, Fred Sherry, cello, Eric Moe, piano. Elizabeth Farnum, soprano, Rob Frankenberry, tenor.
Albany Records TROY953
Kicking and Screaming, Three Ways to Relieve Tension, Dead Elf Tugboat, Where Branched Thoughts Murmur in the Wind, Grande Etude Brilliante, Dance of the Honey Monkey, Nocturne, Fled Is That Music. Alex Karis, piano, Speculum Musicae, Donald Palma, conductor, Eric Moe, piano and midi keyboard, Rachel Rudich flutes. Albany Records TROY597
Up & At 'Em: Chamber & Electroacoustic Music.Time Will Tell, Mouth Music, Blue Air, The Lone Cello, A Whirling and a Wandering Fire, Up & at 'em. Albany Records TROY506