Denis Gougeon was born in Granby, Quebec, in 1951. After studies in musicology at l'École de musique Vincent D'Indy, he studied composition with André Prévost and Serge Garant at the Faculty of Music of the Université de Montréal. An active composer, he has received numerous commissions from prestigious ensembles and soloists across Canada as well as in the United States, South America and Europe. His music, which is accessible, dynamic, energetic and also very melodic, is admired by the public and critics alike. He likes to emphasize his work with musicians whom he considers marvelous ambassadors for the composer. From 1984 to 1988 he was a lecturer at the Faculty of Music of the Université de Montréal and invited professor of composition at McGill University. In 1984 and 1985 he was also a broadcaster on the programme "Musiques actuelles" for Radio-Canada. In January, 1989, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra appointed him resident composer the first person to be named to this position. Denis Gougeon has a catalogue containing more than 80 works including six for orchestra, many chamber music works, vocal compositions, pieces for solo instruments, and an opera. A number of his works have been recorded on CD.