Roddy Ellias was born in Quebec in 1949 and studied guitar and composition in Ottawa, Toronto, New York and Philadelphia. He completed a Masters in Music specializing in composition under the guidance of André Prévost and Massimo Rossi at the Université de Montréal. Since 1980, he has taught composition, guitar and improvisation at several Canadian universities and is currently an associate professor at Concordia University in Montreal where he is the Graduate Program Director and heads the composition area. Roddy Ellias' compositions have been performed and recorded by many renowned artists including American violin virtuoso Anne Akiko Meyers and I Musici de Montréal. In addition to orchestral works and chamber pieces for various ensembles, he has written many pieces for solo guitar, guitar trio, and guitar with other instruments. He is also writing music for The Ottawa Guitar Trio, of which he is a founding member. As a performer Roddy Ellias is an accomplished classical guitarist and improviser. He has performed throughout Canada and the United States and in Europe.