Anne Thompson

Freelance Flute & Piccolo Player

Jay Gemmill has been fixing my flutes and piccolo and those of my students for many years.  During the years, I have counted on Jay to keep all my instruments working perfectly.  With a minimum of fuss, he has always done exactly the work that needs to be done, finishing it quickly and always charging reasonable prices.  I have always trusted his skill, his honesty, and his opinion and have never been disappointed.  He has also been a great flute friend to talk to about serious types of instruments, mechanisms, pads, etc. helping me stay on top of the student instrument world and helping students with their decisions.

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Jay has so many times saved my sanity with last minute and emergency work that he clearly does for many customers so I am always amazed to find him so calm, easily dealing with his crazy workload.  Thanks Jay!

Julie Ranti

Associate Principal Flute

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Thank goodness Toronto is lucky enough to have Jay Gemmill!  When I was growing up in Montréal we used to have to drive to Vermont to get my flute fixed!  I think about that every time I'm driving to Jay's house: how fortunate that Toronto has a top notch flute repairman, always willing and able to attend to all my flute repairs and emergencies with expertise and a smile.

Kaili Maimets

I have trusted Jay with my flutes and piccolos for over 20 years!

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He is highly skilled and passionate about what he does.  When Jay has worked on my instruments, they play like a dream.  This 

is due to his precision, making sure that every tone hole seals perfectly, and that the key action and tension are just the way I like it.  If there is any adjustment that needs to be made, he listens to my feedback and finds a solution. 

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I really appreciate his 1-year warranty and emergency booking so that I can feel confident that if my instruments need some work done quickly, he will make the time to help. 

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The flute community is lucky to have someone like Jay to keep our instruments in their best shape.

Les Allt

Principal Flute 

National Ballet of Canada Orchestra

I've been going to Jay for well over a decade.  He's very knowledgeable [not just about instruments!] and his repair work is always exemplary, as well as timely and usually spot-on the first time.  It's a rare occasion when I have to go back to have something tweaked.  He's very accommodating when it comes to emergencies as well.  I will not willingly go anywhere else for my instruments!

Nora Shulman

Flute Faculty, Glenn Gould School

Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Toronto

Jay is simply a superb and resourceful flute repairman.  He keeps my flute in perfect working order and responds promptly to flute emergencies.  He was instrumental in helping me recover from a serious injury by modifying my flute.  He is both creative and knowledgeable, which is the perfect combination of attributes in flute repair.  I look forward to my visits with Jay, not just because he is so pleasant and I enjoy the laughs we share, but also because I know my flute is in the very best of hands.

Peg Albrecht

Undergraduate Sessional Lecturer

University of Toronto Faculty of Music

I've been taking my flute to Jay for many years now.  He is absolutely "the best" in the business.  My flute always comes back in the best shape it can possibly be and it is always such a joy to play after Jay has worked on it.  Jay also knows well the latest flute models on the market and gives me expert advice from a flute mechanic's point of view.  I have often found this advice very helpful in trying to find just the right flute for particular students.

Stéphanie Superle

Creator & Lead Educator, FlutePlay.ca

Faculty Member, RCM College of Examiners

I first met Jay shortly after I moved to Toronto in 2006.  I was running to catch the subway one night, missed a step and fell down the tunnel stairs, flute in tow.  New to the city, I was unsure of where to go or who to see to fix my flute. Numerous colleagues recommended the Ontario Flute Centre.  Not only did Jay fix my flute so it played better than it ever had before, but he also worked on my wood case; carving grooves into the interior to prevent future damage to my instrument and drilling a post into the width of my case to prevent further cracking or splitting. Now Jay is the only person I will bring my instruments to for maintenance & repair.  

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Over the years, I have also recommended students to Jay for repairs and yearly maintenance work.  Every time, my students and their parents come back happy with a flute that feels better than new and knowledge of how to better care for their instrument in the future.