Eric Whitacre: Eternity in an Hour

Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor, Eric Whitacre, is among today’s most popular and celebrated musicians. Born in Nevada, he is a graduate of The Juilliard School, New York. His works are performed worldwide, and his ground-breaking Virtual Choirs have united hundreds of thousands of singers around the world. Eric’s long-term relationship with Universal Music – Decca Classics – has produced several no.1 albums which have enduring success.

A highly respected conductor, Eric has worked with the world’s leading orchestras and choirs on stages such as the Royal Albert Hall in London, Sydney’s Opera House, Carnegie Hall in New York and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. In the coming season, appearances include performances at London’s Southbank Centre and with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Eric’s collaboration with Spitfire Audio resulted in two volumes of a trail-blazing vocal sample library which became an instant best-seller and is used by composers the world-over.

A charismatic speaker, Eric Whitacre has given keynote addresses for many Fortune 500 companies, in education and global institutions from Apple and Google to the World Economic Forum in Davos and the United Nations Speaker’s Program. His mainstage talks at the influential TED conference in Long Beach CA received standing ovations.

Somerville College and Music at Oxford gratefully acknowledge the support of Helen Morton, who has generously supported Eric Whitacre’s position as Musician in Residence at Somerville College, 2026-2027.