Marie-Claire Saindon (living composer*) is a Franco-Ontarian composer based in Montréal. She is composer-in-residence for Choeur Adleisia, runs creative choral/vocal workshops, and enjoys teaching Irish fiddling. She currently writes choral, chamber, and orchestral commissions and creates film and multimedia scores (often for filmmaker Viveka Melki). Her other collaborative experiences span from accompanying dancers to fiddling and singing in a team of folk musicians on a historical steam train. 

Notable commissioners of Marie-Claire’s music include l’Orchestre Métropolitain, Elektra Women’s Choir, and the 2019 Women’s/SSAA Choirs Competition Consortium of the American Choral Directors Association. Her music has been performed in many countries, continents, and contexts, from local community performances to the World Symposium on Choral Music (Istanbul, 2023).

 

Recipient of multiple composition prizes (such as the 2013 SOCAN Young Composers' National Awards in the vocal category), her choral works are published with Boosey & Hawkes, Cypress Choral Music, Hal Leonard Choral, Earthsongs Choral Music, and Alliance Music Publications. 

 

Marie-Claire holds educational degrees but would now rather tell you that she enjoys reading graphic novels, spending time with friends, and playing music with her Jazz pianist husband Chad Linsley with whom they are currently raising a hellion of a floofy orange cat.

50, 100, 150, and 200-word bios in English and French: click here

Portraits for programs and press: click here

Full list of works: click here

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*WHY SOME OF US DON'T SHARE BIRTHYEARS: Ageism is a thing. We don't want older living composers to be forgotten or people to be impressed by our work simply because they think we are young. Judge our works for what they are, and if you absolutely need a year for your concert programs, simply say that we are "living", or put an asterisk next to each living composer, omit their birthyear, and indicate in your footnote that the asterisk denotes a living composer. Thank you.