Eric Whitacre

In the world of choral and band music composing and conducting, Eric Whitacre is a bit of a rock star right now.

The fact he looks more like David Beckham and less like Marvin Hamlisch probably doesn’t hurt.

Whitacre is in Lawrence today and Saturday to work with choirs and bands at Lawrence and Free State high schools and Kansas University. All of the groups will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lied Center (cost is $10).

Whitacre, by the way, says he gets more e-mail from students from Lawrence than from any other place in the country.

Known for matching his music precisely to the lyrics (which often are written by Lawrence resident Tony Silvestri), Whitacre’s compositions have been called “works of unearthly beauty and imagination, (with) electric, chilling harmonies” by the Los Angeles Times. Trained at the Juilliard School of Music, Whitacre now lives in Los Angeles.

In this week’s Pulse Podcast, Free State choir teacher Hilary Morton and seniors Raquel Gonzalez and Sarah Robinson talk about why Whitacre and his music are so hot right now. You can also hear some of Whitacre’s music, as well as highlights of other events going on in Lawrence this weekend.