Joel Thoor Engström

Joel Thoor Engström is a Swedish composer whose works are often vibrantly expressive in rhythm and harmony while still maintaining a lyrical tenderness and contemplation. Joel Thoor Engström composes with a variety of stylistic influences from both neo-classical composers and the French tradition following Debussy and Ravel all the way to experimental rock and progressive chiptunes. His works range from orchestra, choir, chamber/solo-works as well as several chamber-operas and have been performed at several Swedish venues such as Berwaldhallen, Malmö Live, Folkoperan and Louis De Geer Konsert och Kongress by leading ensembles including Swedish Radio Choir, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, ensemble recherché, Norrbotten Neo, KammarensembleN and Stockholm Saxophone Quartett.

Joel Thoor Engström holds a bachelor and a masters degree in composition as well as a degree in music pedagogy from The Royal Conservatory of Music, Stockholm. He also studied composition at Gotlands School of Music Composition, Visby as well as supplementary courses in conducting and leadership at Royal Consevatory of Music and Ingesund Music Consertvatory in Arvika. Among his teachers were compositional professors Karin Rehnquist, Pär Lindgren, Per Mårtensson, Henrik Strindberg and Mats Larsson Gothe. 

He is currently teaching music theory, ear training and composition at Lilla Akademien upper secondary music school in Stockholm and has been artistic director and conductor for Immanuel Brass (2010-2014) as well as a tutor at various music summer camps. Joel has also been an active board member on several music associations, including Stockholm Art Music Centre (2017-2023) and URUK-Uruppförandeklubben (2014-2023), and worked as producer and co-ordinator on various music-festivals and productions. He is also a reoccurring arranger for the Royal Swedish Army Band.

Aurora (2023) – Brass Band, dur 19’. Commissioned by Musik i Syd and Brassmusik Skåne to be used as the Set-test piece in the European Brass Band Championships 2023 in Malmö, championchip section.

Om Människan (2019) – Chamber opera (as composer and conductor). Premiere performance on march 7th  2019 at Folkoperan, Stockholm.

Ascension (2018) – for soprano and piano. A short monodrama written for the Canadian soprano Brittany Rey and performed In Halifax, august 2018.

Mayday Payday (2014) – a 35 min chamber opera about two activists fighting against corruption and segregation during an ongoing apocalypse. Premiered at Folkoperan, Stockholm, Sweden on april 26th 2014. Conducted by Emil Eliasson.

Metric Dance ­(2013) – fl, ob, cl, perc, 2pno, vln, vla, vlc. Performed by Ensemble Recherche, Freiburg, Germany.

Olycksfågelns dotter (2013) – Music for a theatrical play by Rebecka Cardoso. Commissioned and produced by Teater Halland with 36 performances throughout the spring and summer.

Cantus Eternus (2012) – for wind orchestra. Performed by the Swedish win orchestra and also at the UNM festival in Reyjkavik, Iceland.

Procession 2.1 (2009) – for wind orchestra, performed at the ISCM festival (International Society of Contemporary Music) in Visby by the Gotland Wind Ensemble, recorded and broadcasted by the Swedish National Radio. Also performed at the festival Ljudvågor 2008 in Visby.