Between the ages of eighteen and thirty Brady was leading two parallel lives: one studying jazz guitar and playing concerts in night clubs or festivals, the other as a classical composition student who won the CAPAC (now SOCAN) prize in 1981 (String Quartet No. 1), in 1983 (Piano Fantasy in Three Movements, Concertino for Orchestra), in 1985 (Lyric), and in 1987 (Variants), among others.
Par la suite, entre 18 et 30 ans Tim Brady vivra deux vies en parallèle : celle d'un étudiant en guitare jazz qui donne des concerts dans les clubs le soir venu et participe à des festivals, et celle d'un étudiant en composition classique qui remporte des prix de la CAPAC (devenue aujourd'hui la SOCAN) en 1981 (Quatuor à cordes nº 1), 1983 (Piano Fantasy in Three Movements, Concertino for Orchestra), 1985 (Lyric) 1987 (Variants), etc.