Born in Romania, Diana Cotoman is a Canadian and French violinist and composer, member of Sacem and SACD in France, of the Canadian Music Center, Conseil Québécois de la Musique, Screen Composers Guild of Canada and the Association of Canadian Women Composers in Canada.
Her musical training includes a B.A. in instrumental interpretation, violin, at the University of Arts in Iasi, Romania, graduated in 2002, as well as studies in writing music for video games at the University of Montreal, Canada, in 2017 and a DESS in film music at Montreal’s UQAM, graduated in 2020.
Her musical style could be labeled as neo-tonal or modern romantic and it combines influences inherited from Eastern European folklore and her classical music education, with minimalism, jazz and electro-acoustic explorations. The key word to her musical universe is melody, inherited from her passion for opera.
Her list of works includes symphonic works, operas for young audience, chamber music and music for film and video games. Her works have been played in France, Romania, England, Switzerland, Canada and the United States, and can be found on her YouTube and Soundcloud channels.
She currently lives in Laval, Canada and teaches violin and music notation softwares at l’Ecole de Musique Vincent d’Indy and composes symphonic music, opera and music for film.
List of works
Symphonic works
Introspection, 2022, orchestra (ca. 05 :40). Orchestre Philarmonique de la Relève du Québec, Marie-France Mathieu conducting, La Nef, Québec, November 26th 2022. Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Lovely encounter in rainy London, 2016, orchestra (ca. 07:00). Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Callisto, 2016, concerto for clarinet and chamber orchestra (ca. 11:00). Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Symphony no.2 2014, orchestra (ca. 51:20). Dochia Orchestra, Diana Cotoman, conducting, Temple des Batignolles, Paris, December 6, 2014. Score available from the Canadian Music Center. Recording available here: https://youtu.be/Y4ALPSPpGzw
Symphony no.1 2012, orchestra (ca. 41:20). Dochia Orchestra, Diana Cotoman, conducting, Eglise Sainte Marie des Batignolles, Paris, October 20, 2012. Score available from the Canadian Music Center. Recording available here: https://youtu.be/tWWloPZWUoE
Poems 2009, mezzo-soprano and orchestra (ca. 22:00). Dochia Orchestra, Diana Cotoman, conducting, Temple des Batignolles, Paris, September 20, 2013. Score and recording available from the composer.
Paintings – 2007, orchestra (ca. 25:00). The Rainbow Symphony Orchestra, John Dawkins, conducting, Oratoire du Louvre, Paris, November 14, 2009. Score available from the Canadian Music Center. https://youtu.be/svyU_PrE5eo
Operas
Les apprentis luthiers 2022, Opera for young audience in two acts (in French). Libretto: Marianne Irina Botezatu. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
La pagaille des violons 2022, Mini-opera for violin beginner children and soprano (in French). Libretto: Diana Cotoman. Duration: 12 minutes. https://dianacotoman.wixsite.com/lapagailledesviolons/home
Toto’s Oz 2019, Musical for young audience (in English). Libretto: Germaine Shames. Duration: 15 minutes. https://dianacotoman.wixsite.com/totosoz
Le lutin artiste 2014, Opera for young audience in one act (in French and in Romanian). Libretto: Carole Vujasinovic. Duration: 60 minutes. Premiered in 2014. Video excerpts on You Tube. https://dianacotoman.wixsite.com/lutin-artiste
Chamber music
Duet of a desire 2023, eight lieder for soprano, mezzo-soprano, piano and string quartet (ca. 17:00). Poems: Susanne Garnett. Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Retrouvailles, 2021, trio for clarinet, viola, piano (ca. 05 :00). Marie-Dominique Pongy, Agnès Ben Soussan, Jun Phan-Than, Maison de la musique , Viry-Chatillon, November 20, 2021. Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Introspection, 2021, string quartet (ca. 08 :40). OPRQ, Hôtel Château Laurier, July 9, 2021. Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Divertimento, 2018, flute trio (ca. 08 :40). Trio Taco, St. George’s Cathedral Kingston, August 9, 2018. Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Genèse, 2017, violon (ca. 04:05). Diana Cotoman, violin, Salle Claude Champagne, University of Montreal, April 4, 2018. Score available from the composer.
Brass quintet no. 2, 2017, (ca. 10:00). Score available from the composer.
Lamentation, 2017, violon (ca. 04:50). Diana Cotoman, violin, Salle Claude Champagne, University of Montreal, November14, 2017. Score available from the composer.
Contemplation, 2017, string quartet, zheng, piano, flute, clarinet, bassoon (ca. 06:05). Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Quattro, 2017, string quartet (ca. 12 :00). Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
A walk in Paris, 2016, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, electronics (ca. 05:00). Score and recording available from the composer.
Petit tour du monde, 2016, string chamber orchestra (ca. 05:00). Dokia Orchestra Pontoise, Irina Botezatu, conducting, École de l’Hermitage, Pontoise, Juin 08, 2017. Score available from the composer.
Détresse, 2016, viola (ca. 04 :00). Cornelia Petroiu, viola, Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, February 26, 2017. Score available from the Canadian Music Center. Recording available here: https://youtu.be/MLZfhvei3cI
Last trio in Paris, 2016, violin, cello and double bass, (ca. 10:00). Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Divertimento, 2015, flute, oboe and clarinet (ca. 08 :40). Score available from the Canadian Music Center. Recording available here: https://youtu.be/xrE8AQbj67E
Romanian dance, 2015, violin, flute, oboe and clarinet (ca. 01 :40). Score available from the Canadian Music Center. Recording available here: https://youtu.be/dXWwS5CJcRc
Brass quintet no. 1, 2011, (ca. 12:15). Score available from the Canadian Music Center. Recording available here: https://youtu.be/-ziKBF6zTtE
Lettres de chair – 2013, four lieder for bass and string quartet (ca. 20:00). Dochia Orchestra, Patrick Alliotte, Diana Cotoman, conducting, Temple des Batignolles, Paris, September 20, 2013. Score available from the Canadian Music Center.
Lieder for soprano and piano (Texts: Paul Verlaine, R.M. Rilke, Amy Levy, W. Shakesperare, Tudor Arghezi, Mihai Eminescu, Otilia Cazimir)
Theatre
Caligula – theatre play by Albert Camus. Theatre group Les Pains Perdus at the Espace La Risée in Montreal (2022)
Musée haut, musée bas – theatre play by Jean-Michel Ribes. Theatre group Les Pains Perdus at the MainLine Theatre in Montreal (2019)
Music for film and video games
La Cigale et la Pluie – court métrage de Louis Viau (France), Fudge d’or at the Festival du Film Universitaire du Grand Est, Metz 2023 https://youtu.be/AoeIarbvrsg?si=c4XGSGrVumdcnJqE
La demeure Middletone – short film by Louis Viau (France) https://youtu.be/zcx6zmY9slU
Formation continue automne 2023 CQM/GMMQ – clip publicitaire (Canada) https://youtu.be/dGlvefNFnh4?si=beyIYybYhYVUGzHJ
Formation continue hiver 2022 CQM/GMMQ – advertising (Canada) https://youtu.be/InXiqRF9Khs
Formation continue 2021/2022 CQM/GMMQ – advertising (Canada) https://youtu.be/0fTYkeMPA_c
Reste en vie – 3D animation film by Cindy Foucault (2020, Canada), winner of the Gala du Cegep du Vieux Montreal 2020, selected to the DaVinci International Film Festival, Los Angeles, 2020 https://vimeo.com/456237172
Il tempo per un caffè – short film by Roberto Zorfini (2018, Canada), selected to the Rendez-Vous Cinéma Festival of Montreal, 2019 https://youtu.be/b_-DxMEdK2c
The night my father died – short film by Eva Serra Agudo (2018, Barcelona), selected to the Sitges Film Festival, 2019 https://youtu.be/XLmGacMmuV8
M. Richard – short film by Didier Belzile and Roxanne St-Arneault (2019, Canada), Award at the Abitibi Témiscamingue Film Festival, 2019 https://youtu.be/TL3sgFUuV_M
Tripertite – short film by Gaby Argay-Faris (2019, Canada) https://youtu.be/f3WwA1Ugf0I
Jacques Laberge – Un professeur sans mots – short film by Didier Belzile (2018, Canada) https://youtu.be/MWszjpRBfjY
Parmi tant d’autres – short film by Gaby Argay-Faris, Lauranne Arrighy, Martin Fluet, Marie Morice and Sarah Soilihi (2018, Canada) https://youtu.be/hAu79g5aA1U
Délice hivernal – 3D animation film by Valérie Lemelin (2018, Canada) https://youtu.be/mlnPu5XuR9Y
Vibrion – animation film by Maël Blais (2019, Canada)
Anya and the magic ink – video game by UQAT students (2017, Canada) https://youtu.be/ZFuMX83W2QQ
Requiem for James Dean – song (in English). Text: Fabien Billaud. Duration: 4 minutes. Available on vinyl disc, Amazon, Spotify and iTunes. https://youtu.be/ypU7NHFFUSU