Aaron Manswell

Aaron Manswell is a dynamic composer, producer, and conductor whose work transcends boundaries, weaving together classical, R&B, hip-hop and gospel into richly textured sonic narratives. Born and raised in Toronto, his compositions have been celebrated for emotional depth and contemporary resonance, earning performances and recordings by prestigious ensembles such as the San Francisco Symphony, the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, and Choral Arts Initiative---whose 2024 album Tapestry of Becoming (featuring his acclaimed piece "Stick with Love") soared to No. 1 on Billboard's Traditional Classical Albums chart.

 

In February 2023, he was featured in the Canadian Opera Company's Showcase Series, presenting Off-Spring Live---a concert highlighting his genre-fluid compositions. His creative leadership extends to his appointment as Composer-in-Residence of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir for the 2024/2025 season, where he continued to shape the future of choral music.

 

Beyond the concert hall, Manswell is a sought-after music producer and keyboardist, collaborating with multi-platinum selling Canadian artists DVSN and Juno award-winning singer/songwriters Nemahsis, Dylan Sinclair, Savannah Ré, and Ryan Ofei to name a few. Recently he was tapped by multi-platinum American Alternative R&B artist Mariah the Scientist to orchestrate and conduct the strings for her live performance of "Burning Blue" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and also provided orchestration and production on the outro of her new album Hearts Sold Separately ("No More Entertainers"). His versatility also shines in film scoring, where he crafts evocative original music. A dedicated educator, he previously served as Wind Band Conductor at Crawford Adventist Academy, guiding students to top festival honours and live recordings.