Principal Flute, National Arts Centre Orchestra | Faculty, McGill University 

NYO Canada Alum: 1991 & 1992 | Faculty: Flute, Summer 2025 

In the summer of 1992, Joanna G’froerer stood at a crossroad. She had just won the position of Principal Flute with Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO)— at the age of 20 — and was preparing to begin a professional career. But first, she returned for one final summer with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. 

“I won my position in the NACO in June of 1992, and many people asked me if I would still be attending the NYO session that summer, before beginning to work in September. I did, and it was one the best decisions I ever made.” 

That summer became a turning point. Under the mentorship of faculty member Camille Churchfield, Joanna undertook a focused project: working through all nine Beethoven symphonies to prepare for her new orchestral role. 

“She also helped me prepare mentally for my new role as a principal flutist in a professional orchestra. The mentorship, the training and the experience that I received at NYO that summer meant that I could confidently step into my new position in the fall.” 

Lifelong Impressions 

Joanna’s memories of NYO Canada are vivid and full of joy—from iconic repertoire to unforgettable teachers. 

“Working with the late Kazuyoshi Akiyama in 1992 was thrilling. I had grown up watching him conduct the Vancouver Symphony, where my dad, Brian G’froerer, was in the horn section – and it felt like a dream to get to work with the Maestro myself.” 

“I also remember working with the great Norwegian flutist, Ornulf Gulbransen in his final year of teaching at the NYO (1991). He used his body like an actor in our lessons, jumping up on chairs and pretending to cry to get us playing with more emotion. I’ve never met another teacher quite like him.” 

Repertoire from those years has stayed with her decades later: 
Lutoslawski Concerto for Orchestra, Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet, Lieutenant Kijé, Beethoven 4, Debussy Nuages, Rimsky Capriccio Espagnol, and a Nielsen Wind Quintet that bonded her with musicians she still calls close friends. 

“I remember these performances like they were yesterday.” 

A Life in Music 

Born in Vancouver to a family of professional musicians, Joanna studied with Kathleen Rudolph and Timothy Hutchins, earning her Licentiate in Music from McGill University in 1993. Her orchestral training included time at Interlochen Arts Camp and, of course, NYO Canada. 

Since joining the NACO in 1992, she has performed as soloist in more than 30 programs and appeared with major Canadian orchestras across the country. Her recordings, from Mozart’s Flute Quartets with Pinchas Zukerman to a Juno-nominated Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, have received accolades from critics around the world. 

She’s also a sought-after chamber musician and educator. Today, she teaches at McGill University and continues to give masterclasses internationally, while remaining active with ensembles such as the National Arts Centre Wind Quintet and the G’froerer-Gott Duo with harpist Michelle Gott. 

On Teaching and Legacy 

Although Joanna had taught occasionally earlier in her career, she embraced it fully in recent years. 

“About 6 or 7 years ago, I started to feel that I had some room in my life and also a strong desire to share what I know. When McGill asked me to join the flute faculty in 2019, I was ready to jump in with both feet. Now life is really busy again, but my students energize me and they keep me on my toes with my own playing.” 

What motivates her most is meeting students where they are — through the music that moves them. 

“I love working with students on pieces that they are excited to play… pieces that they feel connected to, whether they be by Bach, Mozart, Martinu or Jacques Hétu.” 

And she especially enjoys helping students develop complete orchestral parts — not just solos or excerpts. 

“Finding the style, the feel, learning about the weight of Brahms, the elegance of Mozart, the crispness of articulation in Stravinsky… I’ll often play along on 2nd flute to give some context. Playing duets with students is another thing I love to do, and I will definitely be bringing some duos with me to the NYOC session this summer!” 

Advice and Perspective 

Having grown up in an orchestral family, Joanna received plenty of useful advice. One piece from her father still stands out: 

“When something is out of tune, never assume that you are the one who is right.” 

She adds her own hard-earned wisdom: 

“I wish someone had told me in my earlier years to savour and enjoy and soak up every moment of music-making… What we do is so special – I wish I could remember every moment of every concert (well, maybe not every moment!)” 

And the moment that changed everything? A payphone call in June 1992: 

“I called my parents from the lobby of the NAC to tell them I had just been offered the job. At the time, I was only halfway through my undergraduate degree at McGill… I asked my dad, ‘Should I take it?’ He reminded me of how rarely a job like this opens up… I have never, ever regretted that decision.” 

Looking Ahead 

This summer, Joanna returns to NYO Canada as flute faculty — and she’s especially excited for the orchestra to perform Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10. 

“It doesn’t get much more exciting than that.”