Fiona Ryan is a composer/musician/writer who specializes in creating vocal and instrumental music, with an interest in opera. Fiona lives in Halifax, NS, where she composes, teaches, directs a choir, writes, and performs. Fiona's compositions often include playful elements and incorporate theatrical elements and improvisation; her compositional research interests include exploring collaborative work in non-hierarchical ways. Fiona’s recent performance experience and training has moved beyond her background in instrumental and choral music to include more solo singing. 

Fiona is currently working on an opera “In Her Hands: The Tragedy of Lady Macbeth” in collaboration with Essential Opera, who will be workshopping this opera in Sackville, NB in Autumn 2024.  IN 2017 Fiona's music was released on two recordings, one of which, Lady of the Lake, was nominated for classical composition of the year at the 2018 East Coast Music Awards. In 2011, Fiona received a SOCAN Foundation Young Composers Sir Ernest MacMillan Award (composition for large ensemble/orchestra, third prize). Fiona holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in composition from the University of Toronto. Fiona completed a Master of Music in composition with a minor project in improvisation from Newcastle University (UK) in 2004 and a Bachelor of Music from Dalhousie University in 2002. 

Fiona is often inspired by her eclectic performance experience including choral music, improvisation ensembles, opera, chamber music, rock bands, musicals, and traditional/folk music.