Cyrus Meurant (b.1982) studied composition and violin at the Conservatorium of Music University of Sydney, completing Honours Class I (2003) and a Master of Music in Composition (2006), winning both the Frank Albert Prize for Music (2002) and also the Sarah Theresa Makinson Prize for Composition (2003).
He studied principally with Anne Boyd and Matthew Hindson whilst also in workshop with Ross Edwards, Brett Dean, Martin Bresnick and Richard Meale. Meurant was later awarded a Churchill Fellowship (2006-7) to undertake studies in composition and contemporary music throughout Europe and the USA, attending the classes of Simon Bainbridge (Royal Academy of Music, London), Frédéric Durieux (Conservatoire de Paris) and Martijn Padding (Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag).
He has completed works for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Martyn Brabbins), Sonic Art Ensemble, Orchestra Victoria (conducted by Richard Mills), Sydney Symphony String Fellows, C21 Music Festival, the Darwin International Guitar Festival, AYO and Symphony Australia Composition Programs.
In 2004 Meurant held the NIDA/AYO composition fellowship and completed the electro-acoustic score to Stephen Jeffreys' The Clink. The play, directed by Helmut Bakaitis, also featured solos by the composer on electric violin and keyboard. Other theatre works include Resolution and This Tense for The Australian Ballet, in collaboration with choreographer Timothy Farrar.
Chamber works include Reflet for electric violin, Interludes for solo piano, Deimos composed for Riley Lee (shakuhachi) and Marshall McGuire (harp) and Ritournelle composed for Claire Edwardes (percussion) and Bernadette Balkus (piano). In 2008 Meurant's works were performed at the Aurora Festival, the Sound Lounge, the World Shakuhachi Festival and set to new choreography at Theatre Basel, Switzerland.