Avant-garde composer, trombonist and conductor Erik Lund received his bachelor's degree at Northern Illinois University before pursuing graduate studies at the University of Illinois. His principal teachers there included Ben Johnston and Morgan Powell. While writing his thesis at Illinois, Lund worked with the avant-garde trombonist Vinko Globokar, who strongly influenced him as a composer. In 1986, Lund became a professor at Illinois; since then, he has worked with Anthony Braxton and the WALLEYE Improvisation Ensemble, and released Compositions, which featured his works along with Morgan Powell's. Lund's music has been performed by the University of Illinois New Music Ensemble, the Ciosone Trio and the Tone Road Ramblers, among others. Lund is currently the chair of the composition/theory division of the music department at the University of Illinois.