From the hallways of St. Theresa’s Catholic High School in Midland to the national stage, Ian Cusson has made an indelible impact as a Métis and French Canadian composer of art song, opera, and orchestral work.

After studying music among some of the best musicians at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto, Ian took time off to focus on his family while working as a church music director. It wasn’t until 2013, when a friend commissioned him to write a piece for Toronto’s Nuit Blanche festival, that he decided to turn his attention back to composing opera and orchestral works.

His work has won him several awards and grants including the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation Award, the Chalmers Professional Development Grant and various bursaries through the Canada Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council.

No recognition is more illustrious however, than being named the inaugural artist for the newly developed Composer-in-Residence Program with the Canadian Opera Company (COC). This two-year residency is part of the COC Academy program that fosters young opera artists, creators, and administrators and will include a commissioned work with librettist Colleen Murphy.

Ian is currently working as an inaugural Carrefour Composer in Residence with the National Arts Centre Orchestra until he begins his new role with the Canadian Opera Company in August 2019.