Denis Rafael Nassar Baptista, MMus

Assistant Professor of Music
I teach music with the hope that students will embrace their creative calling as part of God’s redemptive work in the world so that they become equipped artists who think truthfully, act justly, and live faithfully as agents of hope, healing, and cultural transformation for the good of the world and the glory of God.

Denis Nassar Baptista holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition from the University of Campinas, Brazil, a Master’s degree in Music Composition from the University of Calgary, and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Music (D.Mus.) at the University of Alberta. During his master’s studies he had the privilege of studying with Laurie Radford, David Eagle and being mentored by Allan Bell.

His compositions cover a variety of genres: orchestra, chamber music, choir, electroacoustic, music for video, dance and theatre. He has special passion studying Brazilian music and bringing a different flavour to his performances and compositions. These rich rhythms together with colorful harmonies and melodies in his compositions have been captivating the public around the world.

In Canada his compositions have been performed by many groups including The Land’s End Ensemble, the University of Calgary Orchestra, Orchestre Métropolitain and Calgary Wind Symphony.

Some of the awards he received in the past two years includes: the Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship, the Richard Johnston Award for his advanced skills in chamber music composition and an award for outstanding accomplishments by the Government of Alberta. Also, in 2015 his piece Kosmos received an award at the Land’s End National Composers Competition in Canada.

In 2018 his opera The incredible Journey (librettist Will Collins) won the international competition Opera Disrupted and in 2020 he was one of 9 composers honoured in the National Composition Competition Beethoven's Legacy organized by the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal. In this competition he was commended for the quality, originality and imagination of orchestral writing.

In 2019 two of his compositions were included in the RCM voice syllabus and have been performed by singers all over the North America.

Denis moved to Canada in 2010 and during the past 15 years he has been an active composer, performer and educator giving recitals, workshops, master classes in conferences and events. He has worked at Prairie College as a music professor for 7 years and is now a full-time Assistant Professor of Music at Trinity Western University, Langley, BC.

See also: https://denisnassar.com/

  • Doctor of Music in Composition, in progress (University of Alberta, Canada; 2024-present)
  • Master of Music in Composition (University of Calgary, Canada; 2013-2017)
  • Bachelor of Music in Composition (University of Campinas, Brazil; 2004-2009)

Expertise

Composition (Orchestral, Chamber Music, Choral, Theatre, Musical, Opera, Video Game, Electroacoustic), Jazz Piano and Brazilian Jazz, Brazilian Folkloric Music, Worship Arts and Christian Music, Music Education

Awards & Honours

  • Harriet Snowball Winspear Graduate Scholarship (2025)
  • Violet Archer Graduate Scholarship in Musical Composition (2024)
  • Prix Opus Award nomination for Production of the Year, Québec. The commissioned piece Le Pelleteur de Nuages, composed for the Orchestre Métropolitain, was featured as part of the nominated production (2023)
  • One of 9 composers honored in the National Composition Competition Beethoven's Legacy organized by the Orchestre Metropolitain in Montreal. Honorable mention received for the quality, originality and imagination of orchestral writing (2020)
  • Winner of the 2018 Opera Disrupted International Composers Competition with his opera “Opera “The Incredible Journey”. Competition hosted by the opera company Cowtown Opera.
  • 3rd place at the Land’s End National Composers Competition in Canada (2015)
  • Piano Trio piece “Kosmos” received an award of public’s favorite choice at the Land’s End National Composers Competition in Canada (2015)
  • Award for outstanding accomplishments by the Government of Alberta (2015)
  • Richard Johnston for advanced skills in chamber music composition (2015)
  • Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship (2014)

Recent Publications

Research Projects:

  • Capoeira: 8-channel electroacoustic piece based on the soundscape and history of Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art/dance/game (World Premiere - April 2025, Con Hall, Edmonton)
  • Tracks of Time: woodwind quartet and live electronics based on the soundscape and personal exploration of the history of Three Hills, AB (world premiere - December 18th, 2024)

Recent Commissions:

  • Le Pelleteur De Nuages for Orchestra and Narrators (Orchestre Metropolitain)
  • A Cry From A Dry Land for Wind Orchestra (Calgary Wind Symphony)
  • Caipora for Violin and Celo (Land's End Ensemble)
  • Opera (ongoing project - Calgary Opera)

Affiliations & Memberships

  • Associate Composer / CMC - Canadian Music Centre

  • GAME 320 Video Game Sound and Music
  • GAME 321 Sound Design
  • MUSI 161 Worship Team
  • MUSI 325 Tonal Harmony III
  • MUSI 327, 328, 329 Composition
  • MUSI 425 Twentieth Century Music
  • MUSI 427, 428, 429 Composition