Simon Rivet is a Montréal-based composer creating music for film, contemporary dance, and the concert stage. His musical language is characterized by richly coloured harmonies, delicate orchestral textures, and a sensitive use of space and silence.
Originally trained as a classical guitarist, Simon turned his creative focus toward composition. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, he began a three-year hiatus from city life, retreating to a cottage beside a quiet lake. This period of solitude profoundly shaped his artistic voice, nurturing a deep connection with nature and its ever-evolving rhythms, textures, and forces.
Moving between intimacy and expansiveness, his music explores the subtle emotional landscapes of human experience. Whether composing for the screen, collaborating with choreographers, or writing for chamber ensembles and orchestras, he seeks to create evocative sound worlds that enrich storytelling while inviting listeners into a space of contemplation and self-discovery.
His orchestral and chamber works have received recognition in international composition competitions and have been performed by ensembles across North America and Europe.
Selected Awards & Highlights
2026 — Main Prize (ex aequo), Berliner Kompositionspreis
2026 — Selected composer, FNC – Dispositif 5e personnage
2025 — Winner, Kreitler Commission Competition, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra
2024 — Laureate, Projet 4:4 (SMCQ–INIS), interdisciplinary film creation
2023 — Silver Prize at Machang International Film Music Competition
2023 — 1st Prize International Orchestral Composition Competition La gnove musiche