Ilan Eshkeri (born 7 April, 1977) is a British composer known for his concert music, film scores and artist collaborations.

Early life Eshkeri was born in London. During his childhood, he learned to play the violin and guitar. Eshkeri attended Leeds University, where he studied music and English literature. During this time he also apprenticed with film composers Edward Shearmur, Michael Kamen and music producer Steve McLaughlin.

Career His extensive catalogue of film and TV scores include Still Alice, Stardust, The Young Victoria, Layer Cake (film), Shaun The Sheep and David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive. Eshkeri has collaborated with artists David Gilmour, Annie Lennox, Take That, KT Tunstall, Tim Wheeler, Amon Tobin and Nick Hodgson (Kaiser Chiefs) among others. He recently worked with the European Space Agency on music for astronaut Tim Peake's Principia mission. In addition, he has conducted his own works at The Louvre in Paris, the Rudolfinum in Prague and conducted a specially commissioned work called Reliquary for the Burberry 2016 Autumn fashion show in London.

In 2012, Eshkeri was commissioned to write a composition for a photo exhibition at The Louvre in Paris, where he conducted a 90-piece orchestra in the Tuileries Garden. The twelve-part tone poem titled "Through My Window" was recorded in Abbey Road Studios by the London Metropolitan Orchestra, the 46 minutes composition played alongside the exhibition.

In 2014, Eshkeri composed music for the video game The Sims 4 as well as several of its expansion packs.

2017 saw Eshkeri compose a ballet with famed photographer and director David LaChapelle and ballet dancer Sergei Polunin titled Narcissus and Echo. The performance debuted March 14, 2017 at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London.

His more recent show, ‘Space Station Earth’ depicts the emotional journey of astronauts traveling to the International Space Station. Crafted with support from the European Space Agency and NASA. This six-year project involved Eshkeri creating a Synth-Pop album and directing a film in triptych, which sets the backdrop for the live performance. The Show was performed at The Royal Albert Hall in 2022.

Discography

Theatrical films Year Title Director(s) Notes 2000 The Quarry Men Toby White 2003 Trinity Gary Boulton-Brown 2004 Layer Cake Matthew Vaughn Composed with Lisa Gerrard 2007 Hannibal Rising Peter Webber Composed with Shigeru Umebayashi 2007 Straightheads Dan Reed 2007 Strength and Honour Mark Mahon 2007 Stardust Matthew Vaughn 2007 Virgin Territory David Leland 2008 The Disappeared Johnny Kevorkian 2008 Telstar: The Joe Meek Story Nick Moran 2009 The Young Victoria Jean-Marc Vallée 2009 Ninja Assassin James McTeigue 2009 From Time to Time Julian Fellowes 2010 Centurion Neil Marshall 2010 Kick-Ass Matthew Vaughn Composed with John Murphy, Henry Jackman, and Marius de Vries 2010 The Kid Nick Moran 2011 Knuckle Ian Palmer 2011 Blooded Edward Boase 2011 Coriolanus Ralph Fiennes 2011 Blitz Elliott Lester 2011 Retreat Carl Tibbetts 2011 Johnny English Reborn Oliver Parker 2012 Spike Island Mat Whitecross 2012 Ashes Mat Whitecross 2013 I Give It a Year Dan Mazer 2013 Austenland Jerusha Hess 2013 Justin and the Knights of Valour Manuel Sicilia 2013 Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Declan Lowney 2013 47 Ronin Carl Rinsch 2013 The Invisible Woman Ralph Fiennes 2014 Get Santa Christopher Smith 2014 Still Alice Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland 2014 Black Sea Kevin Macdonald 2015 Shaun the Sheep Movie 2015 Don Verdean Jared Hess 2015 Survivor James McTeigue 2015 Collide Eran Creevy 2016 The Exception David Leveaux 2016 Swallows and Amazons Philippa Lowthorpe 2018 Dancer Steven Cantor 2018 Measure of a Man Jim Loach Composed with Tim Wheeler 2018 The White Crow Ralph Fiennes 2018 Farming Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje 2023 The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Hettie Macdonald 2024 Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui

Short films Year Title Director(s) Notes 2004 The Banker Hattie Dalton 2008 Cinco de Mayo Giles Greenwood 2009 Attempt Seven Gez Medinger and Robin Schmidt 2011 The Snowman and the Snowdog Hilary Audus Composed with Andy Burrows 2014 Once Upon a Time in London Joséphine de La Baume 2015 The Gift Stu Weiner

Television films Year Title Director Notes 2003 Colosseum: Rome's Arena of Death Tilman Remme 2004 Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King Uli Edel 2005 Ape to Man Nic Young 2006 The First Emperor Nic Young 2009 Micro Men Saul Metzstein 2011 Eric and Ernie Jonny Campbell 2012 Planet Dinosaur: Ultimate Killers Nigel Paterson 2014 David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive Daniel M. Smith 2017 Judi Dench: My Passion for Trees Harvey Lilley

Television series Year Title Notes 2009 Trial & Retribution 3 episodes 2009 Waking the Dead 6 episodes 2010–2012 Strike Back Series 1–3, 26 episodes 2011 Richard Hammond's Journey to the Centre of the Planet Two episodes 2011 Planet Dinosaur Episode: "Lost World" 2014 Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond 4 episodes 2015–2016 Great Barrier Reef 3 episodes 2016 Doctor Thorne 3 episodes 2017–2019 Riviera 19 episodes 2018 Informer 6 episodes 2019 The Athena 5 episodes2020A Perfect Planet 6 episodes 2022–present SAS: Rogue Heroes 12 episodes 2025–present MobLand 10 episodesComposed with Matt Bellamy

Video games Year Title Notes 2014 The Sims 4 2020 Ghost of Tsushima Composed with Shigeru Umebayashi

Audiobooks

Year Title Director Notes 2024 George Orwell's 1984 Composed with Matt Bellamy

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2005 World Soundtrack Awards Discovery of the Year Layer Cake 2007 International Film Music Critics Association Breakthrough Composer of the Year Stardust Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film 2008 Malibu Film Festival Best Soundtrack Strength and Honour 2010 Ivor Novello Awards Best Original Film Score The Young Victoria 2020 British Academy Games Awards Music Ghost of Tsushima D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Society of Composers & Lyricists Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media 2024 Critics' Choice Documentary Awards Best Score Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Hollywood Music in Media Awards Score – Documentary International Film Music Critics Association Best Original Score for a Documentary 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

References

External links