Long recognized as one of Canada's bright lights on historical flutes, Toronto-born Alison Melville began her musical life by playing the recorder in a school classroom in London (UK). Her career as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician with many ensembles has taken Photograph of Alison Melville with bass recorder her across North America and to New Zealand, Iceland, Japan and Europe. She plays medieval, renaissance, baroque and modern recorders; renaissance, baroque and classical flutes and one-keyed piccolo; and Norwegian seljefløyte.

Besides her work with The Toronto Consort, Alison is a member of the Ensemble Polaris and is artistic director of the mixed-media Bird Project. She appears regularly with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and as a guest with other ensembles across North America.

Some memorable career moments include playing for The Tudors, The Borgias, CBC-TV's The Friendly Giant and Atom Egoyan's The Sweet Hereafter; solo shows in inner-city London (UK) junior schools; a recent recital in sunny southern Spain; and, oh yes, a summer of concerts in Ontario prisons.

Alison has been heard on CBC/Radio-Canada, BBC, RNZ, NPR and Iceland State Broadcast Service, and on over 50 CDs, including five critically acclaimed solo recordings. A professor at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music (USA) from 1999 to 2010, she now teaches at the University of Toronto and Wilfrid Laurier University.
More info: www.alisonmelville.com
Photo © Mary Perdue.