Rea Beaumont

Dr. Rea Beaumont (RAY-ah BO-mont) is an internationally recognized pianist and composer, known for her powerful performances, innovative concert programs, and finely crafted works.  Recipient of the SOCAN Foundation/MusCan Award of Excellence for the Advancement of Research in Canadian Music, Beaumont has premiered many works in collaboration with renowned composers such as R. Murray Schafer, in addition to her own pieces that are reviewed as having "compositional prowess" (The WholeNote, Toronto).  

Her recordings have been chosen ‘Album of the Week’ (CBC), 'Top 5' (The New Classical FM), and streamed over 200,000 times. They often highlight important global social issues to initiate change.  Her CD A Shrinking Planet was one of the first albums to highlight the influence of globalization in new music. Creating a Landscape explores the ways in which composers and performers impact our environment. A Conversation Piece features her most popular piano composition “Shattered Ice” that protests against environmental destruction in the Canadian Arctic.  Most recently, Awaken celebrates our post-COVID emergence and features leading violinist Christopher Verrette.

Beaumont has been a featured solo pianist in national and international festivals and venues, including Nuit Blanche, Opera House (Italy), CBC Glenn Gould Studio, Canadian Opera Company's Piano Virtuoso Series, Sonic Boom Festival, CONTACT, Pro Musica, St. James Cathedral, and more. She was the pianist for the University of British Columbia's Microtiming Symposium that highlighted her album Timeless, which challenges the listener's perception of time and featured music by Philip Glass, John Adams, world premieres of works by Jordan Nobles, Jordan Pal (commission), and herself. 

Beaumont studied at the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, Eastman School of Music, The Banff Centre for the Arts, The Royal Conservatory of Music, and Le Centre d'Arts Orford.  She trained with leading pedagogues, including Anton Kuerti, Robert Silverman, Robert G. Rogers, and Menahem Pressler, and studied composition with Phil Nimmons, Edward Laufer, Gustav Ciamaga, and Dr. Samuel Dolin.

Beaumont's many publications include podcasts, articles, lectures, concerts, and her book Composer Barbara Pentland: The Music and the Message that was a finalist for an international award.  

Previously a faculty member at the University of British Columbia and Royal Conservatory of Music, Beaumont is Faculty at the University of Toronto. She is a guest adjudicator, master class clinician, and has a studio of advanced piano students, including competition winners.