Tim Sullivan holds a Ph.D. in Composition and Music Theory from the University of Michigan, a dual M.M. in Music History and Music Theory/Composition from the University of Northern Colorado, and also a B.M. in Music Theory and Composition from UNC. His composition teachers include Bright Sheng, Andrew Mead, William Bolcom, Betsy Jolas, and Karen Tanaka. Additional lessons and master classes have included Georges Aperghis, Toshio Hosokawa, Dieter Mack, Helmut Lachenmann, and Beat Furrer.

His compositions have received performances via the Colorado Symphony, American Opera Projects, 2008 NASA conference, ALEA III, Etcetera Festival of New Music, World Saxophone Congress XIII, Society of Composers conferences, and the University of Nebraska New Music Festival. He has received awards from ACO/Earshot, ASCAP, ALEA III, and Downbeat magazine, and two of his works for saxophone are published by Dorn publications. Sullivan was the co-founder of the Re-Source Ensemble, a composer's collective based in Ann Arbor, MI. He was also the co-founder and director of the Colorado Contemporary Music Consort, as well as filling the role of conductor, pianist, and percussionist for the group from 1997 to 2002. Also an accomplished jazz drummer, he has several recordings as a member of the Boulder Creative Music Ensemble, and has performed with Ron Miles at jazz festivals throughout the U.S.

Publications include an essay on Alfred Schnittke in Musicians and Composers of the 20th Century (Salem Press, 2009) and a paper on Ligeti' piano music in Jonathan Bellman's A Short Guide to Writing About Music (1st edition). He presented a paper on the music of Alfred Schnittke at the 2005 National Meeting of the Society for Music Theory. His theoretical work focuses primarily on recent music - in particular Grisey, Murail, Schnittke, Ligeti and Feldman.

Tim is currently an Instructor of Music Theory at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY, where he lives with his wife, mezzo-soprano Lorraine Yaros Sullivan, and their cats and dogs.