John Rea

Who is John Rea?

John Rea is a Montreal-based composer who won the Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music in both 1981 and 1992. He obtained his Bachelors degree at Wayne State University, his Master of Music degree at the University of Toronto, and his PhD at Princeton University. His children's opera The Prisoners Play from 1972 uses serial techniques. His works have been played by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, the Nouvelle Ensemble Moderne, the Arditti Quartet, the Esprit Orchestra and others. He is the previous dean and head of the composition department at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, where he continues to teach composition. Among his notable students are composers Robin Minard and John Oliver.