Born in France in 1970, Guillaume Connesson studied piano, music history, analysis, and choir conducting at the Conservatoire national de région de Boulogne-Billancourt and orchestration at the Conservatoire national supérieur de Paris. In parallel to his studies, he was mentored by Marcel Landowski. He teaches orchestration at the Conservatoire national de région d’Aubervilliers.

In 1998, he was awarded the Prix Cardin by the Institut de France for Supernova, and in 1999 he won the Prix Nadia et Lili Boulanger. In 2000, he won the SACEM’s Young Composer Prize, and in 2001 was awarded a fellowship from the Fondation Natexis. In 2006, he won the Grand prix lycéen des compositeurs. In 2011, the SACEM awarded him its Grand Prix for lifetime achievement.

His neotonal compositions are regularly performed by renowned English and American orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. He was a composer-in-residence with the Orchestre de Pau from 2009 to 2011.

Most of his works are commissions: for example, Supernova (Orchestre Philharmonique de Montpellier, 1997), Athanor (Chœur et Orchestre national de France 2004), Une lueur dans l’âge sombre (Royal Scottish National Orchestra, 2005), and Aleph (Miami New World Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra).