Composer Arthur Keegan
Bio
Arthur Keegan often draws on text to inspire the music he writes, from poetry and literature to twitter feeds and graffiti. He writes instrumental chamber and orchestral music (occassionally with electronics) which has been performed across the UK, the US and Canada and broadcast on BBC Radio 3. He has worked with orchestras such as the Philharmonia and the London Symphony Orchestra and written chamber music with performers such as the Ligeti Quartet, Lotte Betts-Dean, Joby Burgess, and Ensemble Musikfabrik. Only first experiencing Classical concert at the age of 16, coming from a non-musical family, Arthur is passionate about inspiring musicians from less advantaged backgrounds to pursue artistic careers and engage with classical music.
Alongside composing Arthur is active as a sound engineer and teaches composition at Middlesex University. He may also be found making chess sets or playing cricket.

Afterwards, Elegies for Tom (Extracts)

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Arthur Keegan - Elegies for Emma (Song Cycle) IN PROGRESS

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Arthur Keegan // Dorian Suite

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Music
Current projects include a collaboration with Lotte Betts-Dean exploring art-song settings of poetry by Thomas Hardy and a spin-off project with the Ligeti Quartet which responds to Hardy's poem 'Afterwards'. He is writing for the Philharmonia Orchestra as part of their Music of Today Composer Academy scheme and is developing a dance and visual art project exploring the tale of Dorian Gray. In 2021 he wrote a song cycle commissioned by Wild Plum Arts and the Estate of T.S. Eliot as well as an overture for the University of Bristol Symphony Orchestra. He is a recipient of the Paul Hamlyn 2020 Award for Artists.

Recent performances

Live 

Veteris Vestigia Flamae
A song cycle setting Hardy's Poems of 1912-13 for mezzo-sop and guitar - 2020
An ongoing collaboration with Lotte Betts-Dean (mezzo-soprano). The cycle was started in May 2019 with The Walk, Rain on a Grave, was written whilst on a Wild Plum Arts/ Britten/Pears Foundation residency premiered in December 2019
Completion of the set is scheduled for 2020/21

The Walk - Arthur Keegan-Bole

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Online

Lullaby Haiku
Commissioned by Severnside Composer Alliance. ​Composed over Christmas 2020

Lullaby Haiku - A. Keegan-Bole

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LSO Soundhub

Dorian: Dance Suite (vln., vla.)
London Symphony Orchestra players 2022
Arthur Keegan-Bole // Dorian Suite

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