Senior Music Major’s Composition Featured in the Allentown Symphony’s New Chamber Music Series
Eamon Bonner ’25, who is focused on theory and composition, was one of 11 professional composers honored by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra last fall.By: Marie Tohill ’25 Wednesday, February 26, 2025 02:46 PM
Eamon Bonner ’25. Photo by Charlotte Keefe ’27As a sophomore in a composition course, music major Eamon Bonner ’25 was tasked with writing a lullaby. The resulting piece, “Drifting Balloon,” became a highlight of Bonner’s career after he submitted it to the Allentown Symphony Orchestra’s call for new scores and it was selected to be performed. He was one of 11 composers honored in the New Chamber Music Series concert that took place in the fall.
How did it feel to have your piece performed by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra?
Eamon Bonner ’25 I was speechless when I got to hear my piece performed. I am extremely honored that my piece was considered alongside so many extremely talented composers. It was weird, but a good feeling! My family attended the concert with me and they were all extremely supportive. The concert took place in a small room that was packed, which meant that a lot of new ears were about to listen to my music. It was exciting to make my debut as a composer.
“Prior to studying music at Muhlenberg, composition felt more like a hobby than a profession. Now, I have honed my craft and I am in a position where I can give other people advice about composition.”
—Eamon Bonner ’25
Why did you choose to submit “Drifting Balloon”?
EB The piece is a gentle lullaby written for piano, cello, and clarinet, and the call for scores happened to ask for those instruments. It’s very floaty and quiet, which is a bit different from what I tend to write. I called it “Drifting Balloon” because, when I was little and having trouble falling asleep, my parents would tell me to imagine all of the things I’m worried about drifting away in a balloon, and that has stuck with me throughout my life.
How has Muhlenberg’s Department of Music contributed to your development as an artist?
EB I don’t think without studying here I would have ever composed something like “Drifting Balloon” because it is a step outside of my comfort zone, considering the skills and techniques that I used while making it. I had to be pushed outside of the box. This past semester, I pushed myself to be creative and think outside of the box while composing more than I ever have.
What are your goals for the future?
EB Prior to studying music at Muhlenberg, composition felt more like a hobby than a profession. Now, I have honed my craft and I am in a position where I can give other people advice about composition. In September, I hosted a panel at Colossalcon East, a three-day anime convention in the Poconos, called “A Crash Course in Remixing Video Game Music” because I have a YouTube channel where I post covers, remixes, and new compositions of video game music.
My message in that talk was that there is no creation too small. As long as you love what you are doing, it is worth doing. The love that you put into the world through what you do will reach someone. I have made compositions in one afternoon that connected with people on an emotional level. I want to tell people, “The world is a better place with your art in it.”
My overarching goal is to become a composer for video game soundtracks and I am already working toward that goal by composing music for an independent video game and for a game that I am making in my computer science class.
