In 1979 Sullivan joined the faculty at The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCMT) where he taught for the next decade. He notably was director of the RCMT's composition program from 1985–1989 and in 1986 founded the school's Contemporary Music Ensemble. In 1989–1990 he taught music composition at the University of Victoria.[1]
Kyla Greenbaum (married name Crowcroft) recorded Sullivan's Piano Sonata No 1 in 1977 in Toronto.[2]
But he first obtained wide notice for his operaTomorrow and Tomorrow, a monodrama for soprano, chamber ensemble, and tape. The work successfully premiered by the Center for Contemporary Opera in New York City on 28 March 1987 and was subsequently broadcast on CBC Television on 19 February 1989 in a performance starring Iraina Neufeld. His second opera Dream Play was also highly praised at its premiered on 11 May 1988 in Toronto in a performance by the Canadian Opera Company. His opera Florence premiered at the Elora Festival in 1992.[1]
From 1992 to 2005, Sullivan composed extensively for dance, including modern dance, ballet and Bharatanatyam. Notable choreographer-collaborators were William Douglas (Apollon, La Zone d'Or); John Alleyne (The Archeology of Karl, In the Course of Sleeping and Adrian, Angel on Earth); Menaka Thakkar (Untitled, Land of Cards); and Lata Pada (Cosmos, Revealed by Fire.)
