ABOUT

Aran O’Grady is an award-winning Irish composer and arranger based between Dublin and London. His music has been performed in France, Singapore, the Netherlands, Michigan (US), and across the UK and Ireland. His music has been described as ‘expressive, flexible and genuinely original’ (Opera Magazine) and ‘edgy and stylistically confident’ (PlanetHugill).

Aran was one of five composers commissioned to work on a new opera commissioned by Sky Arts (UK). The 90-minute opera, ‘Gods of the Game’ was produced by Factory Films and performed at Grange Park in October 2022 with continuous broadcast on Sky Arts and Sky Originals since November 2022. Glasshouse Ensemble (IE) have commissioned Aran to compose a number of works including a collaboration with Irish electronic artist RKitt and works for Theremin and ensemble which were premiered by Gregóire Blanc (FR) in March 2023. He is currently working on a full-length opera with Tasteinyourmouth, with the support of Arts Council Ireland, Dlr Council and Wicklow Arts.

He was the recipient of the Irish Heritage Music Bursary for Composition in 2020 for his piece “Zeitgeist” for flute, cello and double bass. In 2021, Aran was a winner of the New Music Dublin call for scores for Brass Quintet, which led to a commission for a new work for brass band which was performed at NMD 2022. Aran was the winner of the West Wicklow Festival Competition 2025 for soprano saxophone in association with the Contemporary Music Centre and was selected for Making Music’s Adopt a Music Creator programme 2025, working with Southend Vox Chamber Choir in Essex.

A prolific arranger, Aran has reimagined the works of several renowned artists for orchestral and chamber ensembles. Including David Bowie, LCD Soundsystem, Kate Bush, Bon Iver, Joni Mitchell, Aphex Twin and most recently, Ryuichi Sakamoto. These sets have been performed at Ireland’s leading music festivals such as Electric Picnic, and to sold out shows at many of the country’s top venues including the National Concert Hall and the Pavilion Theatre.

Aran studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music with Kevin O’Connell and Jonathan Nangle and then with Julian Philips and Stephen McNeff at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.