Brian Cherney CM (born 1942) is a Canadian composer currently residing in Montreal, Quebec.

In 1972 he joined Schulich School of Music of McGill University, where he has taught analysis and composition for over fifty years.

His pieces, often characterized by carefully calculated formal trajectories and a rich harmonic language, give the impression of a quiet intensity, usually featuring "stillness" in some manner.

Cherney maintains an active career as a composer, teacher and author; his book Harry Somers (1975, U of T Press) remains one of the most important and detailed works of reference on this composer.

He was awarded the Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music in 1985 for River of Fire.