Renowned classical guitarist and teacher, Eli Kassner, was awarded the degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causa in absentia, at the 2 p.m. ceremony on Friday, June 10, “in recognition of outstanding contributions to music and the arts in Canada.”
Born in Vienna in 1924, Eli Kassner immigrated to Canada in 1951 after pursuing classical guitar studies in Austria, Palestine, Israel, the U.S. and Spain. Since then, he was the central figure for the classical guitar in Toronto, founding and directing both the Guitar Society of Toronto and the guitar performance department at the University of Toronto.
It has been said of Kassner that he “virtually single-handedly created serious guitar studies in Canada.” His contribution to Canadian culture extends beyond his status as this country’s pre-eminent teacher of classical guitar in the 20th century.
In the 1970s, Kassner became interested in microphotography and worked as a composer and performer for the CBC television series The Lively Arts and The Nature of Things. He performed until 1967, the same year he established the Eli Kassner Guitar Academy.
Eli Kassner was also inducted into the Guitar Foundation of America’s Hall of Fame. In 2009, the Guitar Society of Toronto, honored Eli Kassner with a lifetime ‘Artistic Director Emeritus’ appointment. In 2016, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada.