Maria Atallah is an award-winning and emerging Canadian composer based in Ottawa. Her music is inspired by the connection between ancient and contemporary music, and explores melodic, heterophonic textures articulated by electroacoustic inspired techniques. Maria is a two-time first prize recipient of the SOCAN foundation Godfrey Ridout award for young composers (2017, 2018) and a prize winner for the 2018 Mécénat Musica Prix 3 Femmes for emerging female opera creators. Last season, her thesis piece entitled Mar Maroun (for chamber choir, flute and two percussionists) was taken on tour, including a performance at the Canadian Opera Company’s Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Upcoming engagements include a new chamber work for Esprit Orchestra commissioned with the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council.
Maria recently completed a Master’s degree in music composition at McGill University under the supervision of Jean Lesage, where she was also named Composer-In-Residence of the Schulich Singers, McGill's premier chamber choir led by Jean-Sébastien Vallée. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Ottawa, having studied composition with John Armstrong and Frédéric Lacroix as well as piano with Andrew Tunis. When she is not working on her music, Maria enjoys reading, training in the art of Muay Thai and listening to hip-hop.
Maria recently completed a Master’s degree in music composition at McGill University under the supervision of Jean Lesage, where she was also named Composer-In-Residence of the Schulich Singers, McGill's premier chamber choir led by Jean-Sébastien Vallée. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Ottawa, having studied composition with John Armstrong and Frédéric Lacroix as well as piano with Andrew Tunis. When she is not working on her music, Maria enjoys reading, training in the art of Muay Thai and listening to hip-hop.