Eric Whitacre grew up in Reno, Nev., where he studied piano and yearned to become a rock star. But at 18 he sang Mozart’s “Requiem” and suddenly was bewitched by choral music. Today he is one of the most popular composers and choral directors in the world. His Eric Whitacre Singers, a professional choir assembled in London, makes its American debut at Strathmore. The group’s first Decca album, “Light & Gold,” was the 2012 Grammy Award winner for Best Choral Performance. It was followed by “Water Night,” released in this country last April.

“It was one long, strange trip from Reno to London,” Whitacre said. “I was totally honored and humbled to win the Grammy. My wife (soprano Hila Plitmann) won her own Grammy four years ago, so now I have one to put on the mantel next to hers. When I put together ‘Light & Gold,’ it was the first time I had a chance to conduct my music in my own recording. It lay inside my soul for a long time.