Chicago-based composer Eric Malmquist ’07 premiered his work Blemish’d Muse May 13, 2016 at a concert with several connections to other Illinois Wesleyan School of Music alumni. Malmquist’s work Blemish’d Muse was commissioned by the Wicker Park Choral Singers and was presented by the vocal group and the Chicago Composers Orchestra. Wicker Park Choral Singers (WPCS) was founded in 2008 by Mark Tomasino ’06, who serves as artistic director.

Tomasino founded WPCS two years after graduating from IWU because he was in search of a post-collegiate choral community. A member of the Collegiate Choir while a student at IWU, he has programmed and directed over 50 WPCS performances in the Chicagoland area. With WPCS he has made multiple television and radio appearances, including the final season of The Oprah Winfrey Show. WPCS was the subject of an IWU Magazine story in 2010.