List of Canadian composers explained

This is a list of composers who are either native to the country of Canada, are citizens of that nation, or have spent a major portion of their careers living and working in Canada. The list is arranged in alphabetical order:

A

• John Abram (born 1959)
• Murray Adaskin (1906–2002)
• Andrew Ager (born 1962)
• Kati Agócs (born 1975)
• Lucio Agostini (1913–1996)
• Robert Aitken (born 1939)
• J. E. P. Aldous (1853–1934)
• Gaston Allaire (1916–2011)
• Émilien Allard (1915–1977)
• Joseph Allard (1873–1947)
• Peter Allen (born 1952)
• Kristi Allik (born 1952)
• Paul Ambrose (1868–1941)
• Robert Ambrose (1824–1908)
• W.H. Anderson (1882–1955)
• Samuel Andreyev (born 1981)
• Humfrey Anger (1862–1913)
• István Anhalt (1919–2012)
• Paul Anka (born 1941)
• Louis Applebaum (1918–2000)
• Violet Archer (1913–2000)
• John Arpin (1936–2007)
• Raynald Arseneault (1945–1995)
• Viviane Audet (born 1981)

B

• Maya Badian (born 1945)
• Michael Conway Baker (born 1937)
• Gerald Bales (1919–2002)
• Steve Barakatt (born 1973)
• Lesley Barber (born 1968)
• Milton Barnes (1931–2001)
• Sarah Bassingthwaighte (born 1967)
• Joseph Beaulieu (1895–1965)
• William Beauvais (born 1956)
• Christophe Beck (born 1972)
• John Beckwith (born 1927)
• Léon Bernier (1936–2011)
• Denis Bédard (born 1950)
• Norma Beecroft (born 1934)
• Jack Behrens (born 1935)
• Marc Bélanger (born 1940)
• Alan Belkin (born 1951)
• Gilles Bellemare (born 1952)
• Herbert Belyea (1917–2001)
• Boris Berlin (1907–2001)
• Conrad Bernier (1904–1988)
• Daniel Berthiaume (born 1956)
• Lorne Betts (1918–1985)
• Amin Bhatia (born 1961)
• Jocelyne Binet (1923–1968)
• Keith Bissell (1912–1992)
• Lloyd Blackman (born 1928)
• Patricia Blomfield Holt (1910–2003)
• Antoine Bouchard (born 1932)
• Linda Bouchard (born 1957)
• Victor Bouchard (1926–2011)
• Adélard Joseph Boucher (1835–1912)
• Lydia Boucher (1890–1971)
• Walter Boudreau (born 1947)
• Ned Bouhalassa (born 1962)
• Denys Bouliane (born 1955)
• Pierre Brabant (1925–2014)
• Timothy Brady (born 1956)
• Henry Brant (1913–2008)
• Jean-Chrysostome Brauneis I (1785–1832)
• Jean-Chrysostome Brauneis II (1814–1871)
• Annie Glen Broder (1857–1937)
• Alexander Brott (1915–2005)
• Stephen Brown (born 1948)
• Edwin Orion Brownell (born 1964)
• Walter Buczynski (born 1933)
• John Burge (born 1961)
• John Burke (1951–2020)

C

• Howard Cable (1920–2016)
• Christian Calon (born 1950)
• Amice Calverley (1896–1959)
• Allison Cameron (born 1963)
• Nicole Carignan (born 1952)
• Bruce Carlson (born 1944)
• Albertine Caron-Legris (1906–1972)
• Pat Carrabré (born 1958)
• Marius Cayouette (1904–1985)
• Albert Chamberland (1886–1975)
• Claude Champagne (1891–1965)
• Caleb Chan (born 1988)
• Dorothy Chang (born 1970)
• Alexander Chuhaldin (1892–1951)
• Gustav Ciamaga (born 1930)
• Chan Ka Nin (born 1949)
• Derek Charke (born 1974)
• Benoît Charest (born 1964)
• Stephen Chatman (born 1950)
• Brian Cherney (born 1942)
• Neil Chotem (1920–2008)
• Dolores Claman (1927–2021)
• F. R. C. Clarke (1931–2009)
• James P. Clarke (1807/8–1877)
• Donald Alexander Cochrane (born 1928)
• Bruce Cockburn (born 1945)
• Stephen Codman (c. 1796–1852)
• Warren Cohen (born 1954)
• Leonard Cohen (1934–2016)
• Michael Colgrass (1932–2019)
• Ron Collier (1930–2003)
• Alexis Contant (1858–1918)
• Robin-Joël Cool
• Steph Copeland
• Pierre-Philippe Côté
• Jean Coulthard (1908–2000)
• Guillaume Couture (1851–1915)
• Richard Covey (born 1979)
• Larry Crosley (1932–1998)
• Gabriel Cusson (1903–1972)
• Michel Cusson

D

• Jimmy Dale (1935–2017)
• Eleanor Joanne Daley (born 1955)
• Omar Daniel (born 1960)
• Jeff Danna (born 1964)
• Mychael Danna (born 1958)
• Yves Daoust (born 1946)
• Lionel Daunais (1901–1982)
• Raymond Daveluy (1926–2016)
• Sarah Davachi (born 1987)
• Hugh Davidson (born 1930)
• Victor Davies (born 1939)
• Morris Davis (1904–1968)
• Stu Davis (1921–2007)
• Gordon Delamont (1918–1981)
• Isabelle Delorme (1900–1991)
• Allard de Ridder (1887–1966)
• Jean Derome (born 1955)
• Alfred De Sève (1858–1927)
• Jacques Desjardins
• Jean Deslauriers (1909–1978)
• Robert Nathaniel Dett (1882–1943)
• Alan Detweiler (1926–2012)
• Keiko Devaux
• Zosha Di Castri (born 1985)
• Paul Dolden (born 1956)
• Samuel Dolin (1917–2002)
• Emily Doolittle (born 1972)
• Margaret Drynan (1915–1999)
• René Dupéré (born 1946)
• Kyle Bobby Dunn (born 1986)

E

• Colin Eatock (born 1958)
• Sophie Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatté (1899–1974)
• Anne Eggleston (1934–1994)
• Arne Eigenfeldt (born 1962)
• Carleton Elliott (1928–2003)
• Lisle Ellis (born 1951)
• John Estacio (born 1966)
• José Evangelista (born 1943)

F

• Percy Faith (1908–1976)
• Robert Farnon (1917–2005)
• Jacques Faubert (born 1952)
• Robert Fleming (1921–1976)
• John Fodi (1944–2009)
• Alexandra Fol (born 1981)
• Clifford Ford (born 1947)
• Malcolm Forsyth (1936–2011)
• W. O. Forsyth (1859–1937)
• Achille Fortier (1864–1939)
• David Foster (born 1949)
• Joseph-A. Fowler (1845–1917)
• Jason Frederick (born 1970)
• Harry Freedman (1922–2005)
• Susan Frykberg (born 1954)
• Darren Fung
• Vivian Fung (born 1975)

G

• Kim Gaboury aka aKido (born 1976)
• Gérald Gagnier (1926–1961)
• J.-J. Gagnier (1885–1949)
• René Gagnier (1892–1951)
• Alain Gagnon (1938–2017)
• André Gagnon (1936–2020)
• Ernest Gagnon (1834–1915)
• Gustave Gagnon (1842–1930)
• Henri Gagnon (1887–1961)
• Serge Garant (1929–1986)
• Mort Garson (1924–2008)
• Desmond Gaspar (born 1970)
• James Gayfer (1916–1997)
• James Gelfand, (born 1959)
• Steven Gellman (born 1947)
• Eric Genuis (born 1967)
• Graham George (1912–1993)
• Aaron Gervais (born 1980)
• Richard Gibson (born 1953)
• Allan Gilliland (born 1965)
• Srul Irving Glick (1934–2002)
• Denis Gougeon (born 1951)
• Maxime Goulet (born 1980)
• Glenn Gould (1932–1982)
• Hector Gratton (1900–1970)

H

• Peter Hannan (born 1953)
• Hagood Hardy (1937–1997)
• Chris Harman (born 1970)
• Johana Harris (1912–1995)
• Charles A.E. Harriss (1862–1929)
• Christos Hatzis (born 1953)
• John Hawkins (1944–2007)
• Donald Heins (1878–1949)
• Jacques Hétu (1938–2010)
• W. H. Hewlett (1873–1940)
• Jim Hiscott (born 1948)
• Alice Ping Yee Ho (born 1960)
• Bruce Holder (1905–1987)
• Derek Holman (born 1931)
• Anna Höstman (born 1972)
• Charles Houdret (1905-after 1964)
• Melissa Hui (born 1966)
• Richard Hunt (1930–2011)
• Ricky Hyslop (1915–1998)

I

• Scott Irvine (born 1953)
• Airat Ichmouratov (born 1973)

J

• David Jaeger (born 1947)
• Rhené Jaque (1918–2006)
• Frantz Jehin-Prume (1839–1899)
• Otto Joachim (1910–2010)
• Richard Johnston (1917–1997)
• Charles Jones (1910–1997)
• Kelsey Jones (1922–2004)
• Michael Jones (born 1942)

K

• James Keelaghan (born 1959)
• Jack Kane (1924–1961)
• Udo Kasemets (1919–2014)
• Iain Kelso (born 1975)
• Talivaldis Kenins (1919–2008)
• Julien Knafo
• Moe Koffman (1928–2001)
• Gary Koftinoff
• Rudolf Komorous (born 1931)
• Peter Paul Koprowski (born 1947)
• Nikolai Korndorf (1947–2001)
• Mark Korven
• Veronika Krausas (born 1963)
• David Kristian (born 1967)
• Gary Kulesha (born 1954)
• Alfred Kunz (1929–2019)
• Larysa Kuzmenko (born 1956)
• Milan Kymlicka (1936–2008)

L

• Larry Lake (1943–2013)
• Jean-Baptiste Labelle (1825–1898)
• Fariborz Lachini (born 1949)
• Alfred La Liberté (1882–1952)
• Alcides Lanza (born 1929)
• Eugène Lapierre (1899–1970)
• Yves Lapierre (born 1946)
• Anne Lauber (born 1943)
• Louis-Phillipe Laurendeau (1861–1916)
• Rachel Laurin (born 1961)
• Calixa Lavallée (1842–1891)
• Jimmie LeBlanc (born 1977)
• Hugh Le Caine (1914–1977)
• Brent Lee (born 1964)
• Alain Lefèvre (born 1962)
• Simon Leoza
• André Éric Létourneau (born 1967)
• Omer Létourneau (1891–1983)
• Gordon Lightfoot (1938-2023)
• Nicole Lizée (born 1973)
• Analia Llugdar (born 1972)
• Andrew Lockington (born 1972)
• Ruth Lomon (born 1930)
• Michel Longtin (born 1946)
• Alexina Louie (born 1949)
• Clarence Lucas (1866–1947)
• Ramona Luengen (born 1960)
• René Lussier (born 1957)

M

• Andrew Paul MacDonald (born 1958)
• David MacIntyre (born 1952)
• Ernest MacMillan (1893–1973)
• Walter MacNutt (1910–1996)
• Robert Graham Manson (1883–1950)
• Leo Marchildon (born 1962)
• Frank Marsales (1886–1975)
• Charles-Amador Martin (1648–1711)
• Lucien Martin (1908–1950)
• Stephanie Martin
• Gene Martynec (born 1947)
• Bruce Mather (born 1939)
• André Mathieu (1929–1968)
• Rodolphe Mathieu (1890–1962)
• Roger Matton (1929–2004)
• Michael Matthews (born 1950)
• Christopher Mayo (born 1980)
• Michael McCann (born 1976)
• Boyd McDonald (born 1932)
• Diana McIntosh (born 1937)
• Allan McIver (1904–1969)
• Ben McPeek (1934–1981)
• Colin McPhee (1900–1964)
• Lubomyr Melnyk (born 1948)
• Pierre Mercure (1927–1966)
• Alfred Mignault (1895–1961)
• Cassandra Miller (born 1976)
• Elma Miller (born 1954)
• David Mills (1926–2020)
• John Mills-Cockell (born 1943)
• Kenneth G. Mills (1923–2004)
• Robin Minard (born 1953)
• Henri Miro (1879–1950)
• Joni Mitchell (born 1943)
• Stephan Moccio (born 1972)
• Theodore Frederic Molt (1795–1856)
• James Montgomery (born 1943)
• Oskar Morawetz (1917–2007)
• François Morel (1926–2018)
• Éric Morin (born 1969)
• Léo-Pol Morin (1892–1941)
• Albertine Morin-Labrecque (1886 or 1890–1957)
• Jocelyn Morlock (1969–2023)
• Marjan Mozetich (born 1948)

N

• Phil Nimmons (1923–2024)
• Jordan Nobles (born 1969)
• Robert Normandeau (born 1955)
• Farangis Nurulla-Khoja (born 1972)

O

• Oscar O'Brien (1892–1958)
• Michael Oesterle (born 1968)
• John Oliver (born 1959)
• Charles O'Neill (1882–1964)
• John Oswald (born 1953)

P

• Owen Pallett (born 1979)
• Jean Papineau-Couture (1916–2000)
• Donald Patriquin (born 1938)
• Alex Pauk (born 1945)
• Trevor W. Payne (born 1948)
• Kenneth Peacock (1922–2000)
• Paul Pedersen (born 1935)
• Frédéric Pelletier (1870–1944)
• Romain Pelletier (1875–1953)
• Romain-Octave Pelletier I (1843–1927)
• Oscar Peterson (1925–2007)
• Barbara Pentland (1912–2000)
• Clermont Pépin (1926–2006)
• Michel Perrault (born 1925)
• Jean Piché (born 1951)
• Dave Pierce (born 1972)
• Randolph Peters (born 1959)
• Benoît Poirier (1882–1965)
• Ari Posner (born 1970)
• Paul Pratt (1894–1967)
• Albert Pratz (1914–1995)
• André Prévost (1934–2001)
• Erica Procunier
• Harry Puddicombe (1870–1953)

Q

• Donald Quan (born 1962)
• Joseph Quesnel (1746–1809)

R

• Allan Rae (born 1942)
• Imant Raminsh (born 1943)
• Evelin Ramón (born 1979)
• Jan Randall (born 1952)
• Eldon Rathburn (1916–2008)
• Elizabeth Raum (born 1945)
• John Rea (born 1944)
• William Reed (1859–1945)
• Bill Richards (1923–1995)
• Abigail Richardson-Schulte (born 1976)
• Godfrey Ridout (1918–1984)
• Doug Riley (1945–2007)
• André Ristic (born 1972)
• Normand Roger (born 1949)
• Stan Rogers (1949–1983)
• James Rolfe (born 1961)
• Ivan Romanoff (1914–1997)
• Clark Ross (born 1957)
• Myke Roy (born 1950)
• Stéphane Roy (born 1959)
• Terry Rusling (1931–1974)
• Welford Russell (c.1901–1975)
• Jeffrey Ryan (born 1962)

S

• Marc Sabat (born 1965)
• Charles Wugk Sabatier (1819–1862)
• Patrick Saint-Denis (born 1975)
• Micheline Coulombe Saint-Marcoux (1938–1985)
• Herbert Sanders (1878–1938)
• Armando Santiago (born 1932)
• Vahram Sargsyan (born 1981)
• Charles Sauvageau (1807–1849)
• R. Murray Schafer (1933–2021)
• Oliver Schroer (1956–2008)
• Ernest Seitz (1892–1978)
• Paul Shaffer (born 1949)
• Rodney Sharman (born 1958)
• Howard Shore (born 1946)
• Bekah Simms (born 1990)
• Gordon Slater (born 1950)
• Anita Sleeman (1930–2011)
• Linda Catlin Smith (born 1957)
• Leo Smith (1881–1952)
• Ana Sokolovic (born 1968)
• Harry Somers (1925–1999)
• Ann Southamt (1937–2010
• David Squires (born 1957)
• Andrew Staniland (born 1977)
• Paul Steenhuisen (born 1965)
• Ben Steinberg (born 1930)
• Donald Steven (born 1945)
• Tobin Stokes (born 1966)
• Fred Stone (1935–1986)
• Timothy Sullivan (born 1954)
• Norman Symonds (1920–1998)
• Boleslaw Szczeniowski (1898–1995)
• Chiyoko Szlavnics (born 1967)

T

• Robert Talbot (1893–1954)
• Georges-Émile Tanguay (1893–1964)
• Nancy Telfer (born 1950)
• Oscar Ferdinand Telgmann (1855–1946)
• Steve Tittle (born 1935)
• Peter Togni (born 1959)
• Roman Toi (1916–2018)
• Jerry Toth (1928–1999)
• Rudy Toth (1925–2009)
• Bramwell Tovey (born 1953)
• Jiří Traxler (1912–2011)
• Amédée Tremblay (1876–1949)
• George Tremblay (1911–1982)
• Gilles Tremblay (1932–2017)
• Barry Truax (born 1947)
• Robert Turner (1920–2012)
• Ian Tyson (born 1933)

U

• Owen Underhill (born 1954)

V

• Jean Vallerand (1915–1994)
• Randy Vancourt (born 1961)
• Stéphane Venne (born 1941)
• Benoît Verdickt (1884–1970)
• Joseph Vézina (1849–1924)
• Albert Viau (1910–2001)
• Michael Vincent (composer) (born 1976)
• Claude Vivier (1948–1983)
• Augustus Stephen Vogt (1861–1926)
• Calvin Vollrath (born 1960)
• Joachim Ulrich Voyer (1892–1935)

W

• Arnold Walter (1902–1973)
• Ruth Watson Henderson (born 1932)
• Rufus Wainwright (born 1973)
• John Weinzweig (1913–2006)
• Frank Welsman (1873–1952)
• John Welsman (born 1955)
• Hildegard Westerkamp (born 1946)
• Dinuk Wijeratne (born 1978)
• Eric Wild (1910–1989)
• Rick Wilkins (born 1937)
• Healey Willan (1880–1968)
• Charles Wilson (born 1931)
• Scott Wilson (born 1969)
• Édouard Woolley (1916–1991)
• John Wyre (1941–2006)

Y

• Kathleen Yearwood (born 1958)
• Gayle Young (born 1950)
• Neil Young (born 1945)

Z

• Maurice Zbriger (1896–1981)
• Rui Shi Zhuo (born 1956)
• Joel Zimmerman (born 1981)
• León Zuckert (1904–1992)

See also

• Canadian classical music
• Music of Canada
• Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada
• Chronological list of Canadian classical composers

External links

• Canadian Music Centre