Alison Melville

recorder

Toronto-born Alison Melville began her musical life in a school classroom in London (UK). Her subsequent career as a player of recorders and historical flutes has taken her across North America and to New Zealand, Iceland, Japan and Europe. Besides making regular appearances with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra as orchestral player and/or soloist, Alison is a member of Toronto Consort and Ensemble Polaris, Artistic Co-Director of North Wind Concerts, and collaborates in numerous artistic endeavours in Canada and beyond.
A few favourite memories include live-to-film performances of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azbakan with the Toronto Symphony and London Symphonia; solo school shows in inner-city London (UK); an improvised duet for Baroque flute and acrobat in northern Finland; and, oh yes, a summer of concerts in Ontario prisons.
Over the Covid-19 shutdown she appeared in filmed concerts and online projects with Tafelmusik, Toronto Consort, Opera Atelier, the Bach Children’s Chorus, Toronto Bach Festival, Chamber Music Society of Mississauga, Guelph Improvisation Festival and others. Her extensive international television, film and radio credits include soundtracks for The Tudors, CBC-TV’s beloved The Friendly Giant, films by Malcolm Sutherland, Atom Egoyan, Ang Lee and others, and she can be heard on over 65 CDs including several critically acclaimed solo recordings.
“…she shapes the phrases marvellously; music, breath, and ornaments are as one. This is art beyond time – the moment might last forever.” – Early Music America