About

Edgar Fikes Girtain, IV (b.1988) is an American composer who, since 2016, has lived in the provincial Chilean city of Puerto Montt, devoting his life to the art of music. Though he may consider himself unremarkable, his music speaks for itself. Often performed and commercially recorded, Edgar Girtain's compositions have proven their merit time and time again. While he may not have a laundry list of accolades or an extensive publishing history, his work has already begun to leave an impact on the music world. An artist, Edgar Girtain simply creates, pouring his heart and soul into every note and melody. And, it seems, the world is starting to take notice.

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Edgar's music as a whole avoids easy classification. His output includes as much experimental contemporary music as it does children's classroom music; as much virtuosic classical music as it does functional music for students and amateurs. There are orchestral works, chamber works, solo works, and vocal music of all dimensions and durations. And although at it core, it all searches for something complete, beautiful, and infinite, on the surface it is mostly a mirror, reflecting the composer's immediate artistic circumstances. The Ballad of Barbara Allen was written for him to sing with a colleague in rural schools; the violin sonatas, for his friend Emmanuele Baldini; the solo piano works, mostly for him to perform himself. Commissions, when they are fortunate enough to come, are usually directly from aquaintances who have moved by one of his works.

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For those who have yet to discover Edgar Girtain's music, it's a journey worth taking. There is something inherently beautiful and inspirational in his compositions- a quality that draws listeners in and keeps them captivated. In the end, it's the music that matters, and Edgar Girtain is content to let his work speak for itself.

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For more detailed information, Edgar's CV and long bio are available upon request (see contact page)