Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: May 12, 2016
• Invested on: September 15, 2016

For advancing classical guitar in Canada as a musician, pedagogue, mentor and co-founder of the Guitar Society of Toronto.

Musician and teacher Eli Kassner is known as the dean of classical guitarists in Canada. One of the founders of the Guitar Society of Toronto, he fostered the study of the instrument, as well as an appreciation for its versatility. Notably, he established the first guitar programs at the University of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory of Music. His teaching methods have been adopted across the country and throughout the world, and he is credited with mentoring and shaping the careers of many of Canada’s most prominent players.