Allison Cociani was born in Vancouver and grew up in the Okanagan Valley, where she studied piano and then voice with her early mentor Aurora Hamill. At the Victoria Conservatory of Music under Karen Smith, she completed a teaching and performing diploma. Allison moved to Italy to perform and study, working on Italian repertoire and language with baritone Nicolo Ceriani. In concert Allison has performed in Ancona, Pesaro, Trieste, Montreal, Vancouver and other cities across British Columbia. In 2005 she was awarded second place in the Canadian National Voice Competition.

Recently she appeared onstage with Opera Mariposa in La Serva Padrona, where she was hailed as “a delight to watch and hear” (Review Vancouver), and in Menotti’s The Telephone. Other notable roles include Susanna - Marriage of Figaro, and the Queen of the Night - The Magic Flute. Her passion for singing is clear in her work as a composer, appearing in the title role for her first opera, Alma in June of 2017 at the Metro Theatre in Vancouver. Along with new music compositions, she has written several scores for video games, and has been a busy artist in the electronic genre. As East Van Opera’s artistic director, she continually creates opportunities for young composers and performers to pursue their musical dreams.