Dr. Elaine Keillor, C.M.
Lifetime Contribution
Dr. Elaine Keillor, C.M. is one of Canada’s most distinguished musical figures—a trailblazing pianist, musicologist, educator, and advocate who has devoted her life to advancing Canadian music in all its forms. A performer of international stature, she has toured widely across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America, often premiering Canadian compositions and championing underrepresented voices, including women composers and Indigenous musical traditions.
Dr. Keillor’s prodigious musical talents were evident early when she earned the ARCT diploma in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto), with all theory requirements completed by age 10—a record unmatched for over sixty years. She later won the prestigious Chappell Gold Medal (London, UK) and became the first woman to receive a PhD in musicology from the University of Toronto. Her critically acclaimed playing has been praised for its clarity, artistry, and emotional depth.
As a scholar, Dr. Keillor has authored seminal texts, including Music in Canada: Capturing Landscape and Diversity (2006) and John Weinzweig: The Radical Romantic of Canada (1994), and co-edited the Encyclopedia of Native American Music of North America. Her leadership in research culminated in the creation of Carleton University’s Centre for Indigenous Research, Culture, Language and Education (CIRCLE), which co-produced the celebrated online educational resource, On the Path of the Elders.
Dr. Keillor’s discography spans 29 albums, including the landmark 4-CD Sounds of North: Two Centuries of Canadian Piano Music, acclaimed for its breadth and historic value. She founded the Carleton Sound label which released many previously unrecorded Canadian works, particularly by women composers. Her recordings and performances have consistently garnered national and international praise, and she has been a dedicated ambassador for Canadian music through collaborations with CBC, NFB, CPAC, and academic presses.
At Carleton University, where she taught from 1977 until her retirement as Distinguished Research Professor Emerita, Dr. Keillor was instrumental in developing Canadian music and Indigenous studies curricula, mentoring generations of scholars and performers. She continues to teach piano and theory privately to over 40 students aged 5 to 50+, and many have gone on to receive national recognition, including scholarships from Conservatory Canada.
A generous philanthropist, Dr. Keillor has supported dozens of musical and cultural organizations, including the Ottawa Bach Choir, Capital Strings and Voices Collective, and the music departments at Carleton and the University of Toronto. She has also been an active member of the Musical Arts Club of Ottawa for nearly 50 years.
Among her many honours, Dr. Keillor was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2016 “for her contributions as a musicologist and historian of Canada’s musical heritage.” She has received awards from the Canadian Music Centre, SOCAN, Canadian University Music Society, and more.
Dr. Keillor continues to perform, teach, and inspire—an enduring and extraordinary force in Canada’s cultural landscape.
