John Estacio ranks as one of Canada’s most frequently performed composers. His works, both symphonic and operatic, have been praised for their assured command of lyricism, depth of expression and brilliant dynamism.  

He has served as Composer in Residence for both the Calgary Philharmonic and the Edmonton Symphony. His orchestral music has been performed in Singapore, China, Europe, the UK, and throughout the USA. His first of five operas, Filumena, was filmed for television and was commemorated on a stamp issued by Canada Post.  

His orchestral writing has caught the ear of choreographers and the film world; the Cincinnati Ballet commissioned a full-length score for King Arthur’s Camelot, and his music for The Secret of the Nutcracker earned him an AMPIA Award for best original film score.   

His Trumpet Concerto, commissioned by an unprecedented consortium of nineteen Canadian orchestras, was recorded by the Mulhouse Symphony Orchestra in France. He has finished his fifth opera, The Cipher Clerk, and has recently completed new works for the Calgary Philharmonic, the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Edmonton Symphony. 

The five-time JUNO nominated composer was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2021, is a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Award for Arts, and recently received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Wilfrid Laurier University.