Staff profile

Eric Skytterholm Egan is an Irish-Norwegian composer based in the north of England. His music focuses on clarity of formal expression, often combining the sounds of previous musical eras with new instrumental techniques to create a broad textural palette. He completed his PhD in Composition in May 2010, under Richard Rijnvos.

Eric has worked with numerous ensembles and musicians, including the Roentgen Connection, Ives Ensemble, Trondheim Sinfonietta, Curious Chamber Players, Cikada, Crash Ensemble, El Perro Andaluz, ensemble Adapter, Arditti Quartet, Momenta Quartet, groups from the BBC SSO and Northern Sinfonia, Noriko Kawai, Lore Lixenberg, and Richard Casey. His music has featured at festivals including Impuls Festival (Graz) and the Darmstadt International Summer Course for New Music, and in venues such as the Konzerthaus Wien, National Concert Hall (Dublin), Sage Gateshead, Southbank Centre (London), and Riksscenen (Oslo). He has recently given lectures on his music at the Academys of Music in Oslo and Krakow.

Eric is currently the producer of Ensemble 7Bridges, and E7B SoundLab, Durham University's ensembles in residence. He also runs NAME (new art music ensemble), the Music Department's student contemporary music group and KLANG, the Department's annual contemporary music festival.

Composition

• Through the Barbacans
  Egan, E. Through the Barbacans. [Score]
• "skyggene omkring", a 15 minute composition for 6 or more voices.
  Egan, E. (online). "skyggene omkring", a 15 minute composition for 6 or more voices
• "un libro ravvolge" an 8 minute composition for SMATB
  Egan, E. "un libro ravvolge" an 8 minute composition for SMATB. [Score]
• That Old Tune
  Egan, E. (in press). That Old Tune. [Score]
• Stille
  Egan, E. Stille. [Score]
• in Monochrome
  Egan, E. (online). in Monochrome
• “in Motion” a 19 minute composition for mixed ensemble.
  Egan, E. (2018). “in Motion” a 19 minute composition for mixed ensemble
• “of her skin” a 16 minute composition for solo tuba.
  Egan, E. (2017). “of her skin” a 16 minute composition for solo tuba
• “pick the Gun up” a 20-22 minute composition for mixed trio.
  Egan, E. (2017). “pick the Gun up” a 20-22 minute composition for mixed trio
• "Fragments | of Shapes | Hewn | in White | Silence” a 14 minute cycle of four compositions for solo string instruments
  Egan, E. (2017). "Fragments | of Shapes | Hewn | in White | Silence” a 14 minute cycle of four compositions for solo string instruments
• Conflict as Artefact | North Korea
  Egan, E. (2017). Conflict as Artefact | North Korea
• “Interplay of Bones” a 45 minute composition for trombone and percussion.
  Egan, E. (2016). “Interplay of Bones” a 45 minute composition for trombone and percussion. [Score]
• A Stain on Silence | Unmeasured
  Egan, E. (2016). A Stain on Silence | Unmeasured. [Score and Recording]
• murmurrandoms | in memoriam James Joyce
  Egan, E. (2016). murmurrandoms | in memoriam James Joyce. [Score]
• “Interplay of Bones” an 11 minute composition for percussion trio.
  Egan, E. (2015). “Interplay of Bones” an 11 minute composition for percussion trio. [Score]
• In One 2
  Egan, E. (2015). In One 2. [Score]
• Falling (in Love)
  Egan, E. (2015). Falling (in Love). [Score and Recording]
• In One 1
  Egan, E. (2015). In One 1. [Score]
• On Breath and Motion
  Egan, E. (2015). On Breath and Motion. [Score]
• A Stain on Silence
  Egan, E. (2015). A Stain on Silence. [Score and Recording]
• “i en eller annen Oase” a 9 minute composition for string orchestra.
  Egan, E. (2014). “i en eller annen Oase” a 9 minute composition for string orchestra. [Score]
• Transit of Shadow
  Egan, E. (2014). Transit of Shadow. [Score]
• out the Dirty Window
  Egan, E. (2014). out the Dirty Window. [Score]
• Eyes so Dimmed
  Egan, E. (2013). Eyes so Dimmed. [Score]
• Privacy of Mind
  Egan, E. (2013). Privacy of Mind. [Score and CD]
• A Pint of Plain
  Egan, E. (2013). A Pint of Plain. [Score and CD]
• ...a thing Glimpsed...
  Egan, E. (2013). ...a thing Glimpsed... [Score, Recording]
• 1st Canvas (Hidden Name)
  Egan, E. (2013). 1st Canvas (Hidden Name). [Score]
• Through the Embers
  Egan, E. (2013). Through the Embers. [Score and Recording]
• in three, on, and seven
  Egan, E. (2012). in three, on, and seven
• Word of Mouth
  Egan, E. (2012). Word of Mouth
• World of Beauty (b)
  Egan, E. (2012). World of Beauty (b). [Score, Recording]
• Oer the World
  Egan, E. (2011). Oer the World. [Score]
• Listen to Me Listening 1
  Egan, E. (2011). Listen to Me Listening 1. [Score]
• ...in the Pause and not...
  Egan, E. (2011). ...in the Pause and not... [Score, Recording]
• Sideways 1
  Egan, E. (2010). Sideways 1. [Score]
• Shaken Out
  Egan, E. (2010). Shaken Out. [Score, Recording]
• Bone
  Egan, E. (2010). Bone. [Score]
• 12 Miniatures for Guitar
  Egan, E. (2009). 12 Miniatures for Guitar. [Score]
• Non-Stable Equilibrium
  Egan, E. (2009). Non-Stable Equilibrium. [Score, Recording]
• String Quartet No. 2
  Egan, E. (2008). String Quartet No. 2. [Score, Recording]
• String Quartet No. 3
  Egan, E. (2008). String Quartet No. 3. [Score]
• Riddle Me
  Egan, E. (2006). Riddle Me. [Score, Recording]
• From the Eumenides
  Egan, E. (2006). From the Eumenides. [Score, Recording]
• Symphony No. 104
  Egan, E. (2006). Symphony No. 104. [Score]

Journal Article

• Listening to/in the Field: Polyphony in the Exploring Arctic Soundscapes Project
  Steinberg, P., Baxter, R., Egan, E., Kramvig, B., Lehman, J., Winderen, J., & Winterling, S. (2025). Listening to/in the Field: Polyphony in the Exploring Arctic Soundscapes Project. Geohumanities, 11(1), 94-115