Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: November 19, 2018
• Invested on: November 03, 2022

John Rea, C.M.
Montréal, Quebec

During his 50-year career, composer John Rea has explored new ways of making music. Always striving for originality, he has developed his own style and experimented with new instrumental techniques linked to orchestration, which are now appreciated around the world. His creations span a variety of genres, including chamber music, ballet, and large-scale orchestral and operatic works commissioned across Canada and abroad. A professor at McGill University, he is recognized as a dedicated pedagogue as well as a writer on music, while being actively involved in the Montreal musical community.