Gavin Fraser (1993, he/him) is a composer, bass-baritone, filmmaker and educator hailing from Antigonish, Nova Scotia. His work “often balances on a tightrope between static beauty and violence” and has been described as “fresh with pithy modesty” (NY Classical Review ’17). Often inspired by dreams, the ocean, ecological restoration, and storytelling, Gavin composes chamber music, artsong, opera, electroacoustic music, large ensemble works, and film scores.

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Featured on Radio-Canada Segments and CBC’s Tapestry (‘22), his music has also been performed across Canada, in NYC, LA, and Europe. Valuing collaboration as a vital source of musical expression, Gavin has collaborated with Barbara Hannigan and the EQ ensemble, Jonathan Crow, Philip Chiu, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Trio Lyrical, and Esther-Ruth Teel, among many others.

 

Gavin has received numerous awards for his work, notably the first-place awards in the large ensemble, solo/duo, and electroacoustic categories from the SOCAN Foundation (‘24, ’23, ‘22), the Karen Kieser Prize in Canadian Music (’22), as well as grants supporting his work from the Canada Council for the Arts.

 

He received his doctorate in composition from the University of Toronto, and is currently based in Montreal, where he works as a freelance composer, film scorer, singer, educator and filmmaker.​