John Rea
Toronto (Canada), 1944
John Rea split his childhood between an in-depth study of the piano and other artistic disciplines, including singing, trumpet, drawing, sculpture and tap-dancing. As a young adult he joined a group of directed improvisation. This eventually lead him to composition, the subject of his doctoral thesis at Princeton University (USA). In 1973, John Rea was asked to take a post at Montreal’s McGill University. To this day he has held various posts, including professor of composition, musical theory and orchestration as well as Dean of the Faculty of Music. John Rea will never stop composing. His works - representing extremely varied genres - have been commissioned by ensembles from all over, and have garnered prestigious awards. His music has travelled through Canada, the United States and Europe, unmistakably reflecting his deep interest in the arts and mathematics, for the music of the past, and human complexity. A fascinating universe, abounding with sound illusions, metamorphoses and mirror effects.