Bio

Tristan Zaba is a Toronto-based composer, vocalist, production worker, musicologist, and interdisciplinary artist breaking down barriers between practices through his continuous pursuit of direct communication. Described by operaramblings as composing “varied music in a very distinct voice” that is “clearly contemporary but not in a way that might frighten people off,” Zaba’s creations are both postmodern and possessing of a highly unique clarity.

As a composer he has won honours including a SOCAN Foundation Young Composers Award, been awarded numerous grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and SOCAN Foundation, held residencies with ensembles including the MacMillan Singers and the U of T Guitar Orchestra, and seen his music travel across North America and Europe to festivals including Lund Contemporary, the Winnipeg New Music Festival, Orford Musique, and Source Song Festival. He has also collaborated with major ensembles including Trio Immersio and Quatuor Bozzini. Meanwhile in a production capacity Tristan has worked for organizations including Tapestry Opera, Soundstreams, and the University of Toronto's Electronic Music Studio, especially assisting contemporary classical musicians and composers achieve unusual technical requirements live. He has also recorded and mixed commercially-released albums in genres ranging from classical to rock. As a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and improviser he takes occasional solo and ensemble gigs and regularly sings as a bass section lead with the Toronto Amadeus Choir.

Recently Zaba had the privilege of seeing his music performed across Canada on the tour dates of 2023 Eckhardt-Gramatté competition winners McKenzie Warriner and Danielle Guina, while meticulously recording all concerts. Warriner and Zaba are spouses and collaborators, having released an album of his original music, Unfinished Business, together alongside pianist Paul Williamson in 2023, and co-founding Toronto new music concert series Slow Rise Music in 2021. As Slow Rise Music they fiercely advocate for the commissioning and performance of expressive new works. Zaba is an associate composer of the Canadian Music Centre and member of the Canadian League of Composers, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Musicology at York University.