Companion of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: November 21, 2013
• Invested on: September 12, 2014

For his contributions as an internationally renowned composer of contemporary music, and for his groundbreaking work in acoustic ecology.


Murray Schafer is widely regarded as one of the most important Canadian composers of the 20th century. With his singular voice and stunning creativity, he is renowned for infusing his choral, orchestral, chamber music and opera pieces with a distinctly Canadian spirit. His global impact is also reflected in his pioneering writings on acoustic ecology, which studies the relationships between people, sound and the environment. As founder of the World Soundscape Project at Simon Fraser University, he has encouraged academics and musicians to record and preserve the sonic environment of the planet. He remains one of the few Canadian composers to enjoy an international following.