singer and composer who, with his contemporary Clément Janequin (Janequin, Clément), was one of the leading composers of chansons (part-songs) in the early 16th century. He was a member of the chapel of Louis XII in 1515 and under Francis I became assistant chapelmaster. In 1533 he became canon of the Sainte-Chapelle.

Over half the pieces published in Pierre Attaignant (Attaignant, Pierre)'s famous collection of chansons (1529) are by Sermisy, and about 200 of his chansons were published during his life. Airy and dance-like in style, they frequently employ, with great terseness and precision, a declamatory style in which chords follow the accents of speech. Sermisy also published about 70 motets (religious choral works) and 12 masses.