A great flute section can change the entire atmosphere of an orchestra in seconds. One moment, the music feels massive and thunderous; the next, the flutes cut through with something weightless, intimate, or unexpectedly haunting.
Though the flute section is relatively small, its impact inside the orchestra is enormous. Composers rely on it to signal shifts in mood—bringing calm and clarity, creating tension, or lifting a musical line into something almost airborne. To the audience, that transformation can feel effortless. Behind the scenes, it depends on an extraordinary level of collective control and mutual awareness. Because the goal isn’t for each player to stand out. It’s to breathe, react, and calibrate together—creating the illusion of a single musical voice while remaining agile enough to respond to the orchestra around it.
In some ways, a flute section’s playing resembles a team sport. Built on trust, timing, and preparation, orchestral musicians train individually for years, much like athletes. But come the high stakes of live performance, everything rides on how effectively they can function within the group. “An orchestra is like a living breathing organism, and when everyone is working together it feels larger than life,” says Kayla Burggraf, who joined the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as Associate Principal Flute in the 2024/25 season. “I feel lucky every night to have one of the best seats in the house, the centre of the ensemble with the flute section. The TSO flute section is very special because not only are my colleagues amazing musicians and flutists, but they’re also such interesting, fun, and kind people.”
This dynamic has shaped the TSO flute section for many years, including through the 35-year tenure of flutist and solo piccoloist Camille Watts, whose final season marks the end of an era for the group. “As I exit the stage after 35 years,” Camille says, “I feel tremendous pride for how we’ve grown, always leading with the art.” What stands out most is that Camille speaks less about precision or performance than about the people around her. “There is so much love. Kelly, Kayla, Leonie—all generous musicians and humans, playful and collaborative on and off the stage.”
For Principal Flute Kelly Zimba Lukić, who joined the TSO in 2017, the emotional stakes of orchestral playing are tied less to rigour and more to connection. She recalls Watts’s final performance of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony as a defining moment. “Watching someone maintain this level of dedication and integrity over the course of a career is inspiring,” she says. “We will miss her.”
This philosophy changes how the section thinks about the performance itself. “As a musician, I can ruminate about a passage I messed up,” says Kelly, “but getting it perfect doesn’t always translate to real connection or meaning. Perfection has never been the goal for us; it’s more about reaching the audience in a real, tangible way.”
Leonie Wall, who joined the TSO in 2004, describes the section as a support structure. “We have always been grounded in deep mutual respect,” she says. “We’re always there for one another, especially on those days where one of us may need a little extra support.”
Like a sports team representing a city, orchestral musicians serve a larger, civic role beyond the stage. Leonie points to the orchestra’s evolving relationship with Toronto itself. “One thing I love about the TSO is its strong commitment to the community, and how it is constantly adapting to meet the needs of that community.”
Philanthropy is what makes many of those connections possible. It creates opportunities for the musicians to not only perform, but also share music in ways that feel personal and lasting. “We rely on one another to give our best in every setting, whether performing on stage at Roy Thomson Hall, working in a school classroom, or participating in a community event,” says Leonie. “That shared commitment is what makes this section so special.”
For Kayla, those moments of connection often leave the most impactful impression. “I’ve really been struck by how deeply connected the TSO is to this city beyond the concert hall,” she says. “There’s a real commitment to meeting people where they are, whether that’s in schools, hospitals, community spaces, or through programs designed to make classical music feel more accessible. Connecting in this more direct way with individuals through music is incredibly fulfilling.” Experiences like these reinforce the fact that an orchestra’s role extends far beyond performance alone.
Like the other sections of the orchestra, what makes the flutes shine is they rely on chemistry and collective instinct. They are a small but mighty group of professionals who play like any championship roster—moving as one and transforming what we hear and how we feel about it. Less concerned with individual glory than knowing exactly when to carry the line and when to let someone else shoot their shot.
And just as the orchestra continues adapting to meet the needs of Toronto, community support helps make that work possible, ensuring that the TSO can continue bringing music, education, and connection to people across the city for generations to come.
We invite you to support the orchestra in reaching more Canadians seeking joy, hope, and inspiration through music by joining our community of donors who make it all possible.
Donate by June 30 at TSO.CA/Match and the TSO Board of Directors will match your gift dollar for dollar.*
*The TSO Board of Directors has agreed to match all qualifying gifts dollar for dollar up to $250,000 for donations received by June 30, 2026. Gifts must be received or postmarked by June 30, 2026, to qualify. The TSO reserves the right to close the match early if the cap is reached. Charitable Registration #105255335RR0001.
Written by Lara Ceroni, a writer, editor, and social strategist whose work has appeared in ELLE Canada, The Globe and Mail, National Post, FASHION, and more.