Eclectic composer, Richard Désilets was born on October 24, 1957, in the enchanting landscape of Magog in Quebec.

He obtained a diploma in music at the Collège de Sherbrooke in 1979. In the summer of 1979, he was composer-in-residence at the Orford Arts Center where he became acquainted with contemporary and electroacoustic music with Nil Parent. Subsequently, he obtained a bachelor's degree in composition from the Université de Montréal in 1985 and a master's degree in 1987 under the  coaching of Serge Garant. In the summer of 1987, he was a composer-in-residence at the Banff Center School of Fine Arts. From September 1987 to June 1988, he was composer-in-residence at the Canadian Opera Company, during which time he composed his opera ZOÉ. During his doctoral studies at the Université de Montréal (1988-90), he studied electroacoustic composition with Jean Piché.

Richard Désilets has won several prizes including SOCAN prizes for his work PREMIER QUATUOR DE L'INNOCENCE (1987) and IL FAUT REGARDER LES ÉTOILES (1986). He was awarded the CBC National Young Composers Competition in 1986 for his work PRIÈRE POUR UNE INFINITÉ. His work, EURÊKA, for piano, won the first prize at Brock University competition in June 1986. Since 1985 he has been the recipient of numerous scholarships from the Quebec Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.

His most recent work INTEMPOREL commissioned by Judy Diez d'Aux for Les flûtistes de Montréal in celebration of the 375th anniversary of Montreal has received its première at the Oasis musicale in Montreal on June 4, 2017, conducted by Clyde Mitchell. We also mention the creation of his work PASSAGES on 4 June 2003 by the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne under the conducting of Lorraine Vaillancourt as part of a reading workshop. In the spring of 1998, CLÉS D'ÉVASION for solo clarinet was commissioned by the Canadian Music Center as part of the Radio-Canada Young Performers Contest.

He distinguished himself among the five finalists of the 2nd International Composition Competition, Ad referendum, of the SMCQ on February 25, 1998, with his work QUINTESSENCE. On February 23, 1998, he created his second poetic opera ZAÂ LE LOUP, at the Théâtre Lachapelle under the conducting of Véronique Lacroix. Commissioned by the lyric company Chants Libres directed by Pauline Vaillancourt during the 1998 OpérActuel event.

On November 5, 1997, the creation of Ô ROI DE PRUSSE and QUINTESSENCE were held at the Made in Canada Festival of Canadian Music in Toronto by musicians from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under the conducting of Joaquin Valdepenas. Commissioned by the FAMEQ and the Montreal Canadian Music Center, on November 22, 1991, MINI-HARMONIE was created at the Salle du Plateau in Montreal under the conducting of Richard Charron.

From 2007 to 2016, he practically recorded all his music on 27 CDs. These compositions are now available online in most major commercial music sites.

A full-time composer, his catalog includes over a hundred works ranging from chamber music to music for large orchestras, opera, experimental electronic music and improvisation.