Bill McBirnie

Canadian flutist Bill McBirnie is an acclaimed performer whose work combines jazz, classical, Latin, and Brazilian traditions. While he garnered early attention for his work with Chucho Valdes and Emilie-Claire Barlow, McBirnie has released his own highly regarded albums, including 2010's Mercy with pianist Robi Botos and 2015's Grain of Sand with multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Bruce Jones; both of which won Toronto Independent Music Awards. In 2020, he released the Juno Award-nominated The Silent Wish with pianist Bernie Senensky, followed by 2024's Reflections, a tribute to legendary flutist Paul Horn. Born in 1953 in Toronto, McBirnie grew up in the small town of Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. He initially started on piano but quit after a few years. Asking for a recorder, his parents instead bought him a flute and he began taking lessons. He also played clarinet for a time, but stuck with the flute, studying privately with noted classical flutist Robert Aitken. After high school, he earned a degree in commerce & finance from the University of Toronto and eventually found work as an accountant. It was while in his twenties that he also discovered jazz and began learning improvisation, drawing upon players like Paul Horn, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis. While working in accounting, he continued to pursue music, eventually earning a reputation as a solid technician and gifted improviser. Work followed, including early recordings with Junior Mance, Chucho Valdes, and Emilie-Claire Barlow. As a leader, he made his solo debut with 1998's Desvio, followed in 2003 by Nature Boy with pianist Mark Eisenman, the latter of which garnered radio play in Canada. In 2006, he released Paco Paco, which featured pianist Bernie Senensky. More accolades followed, including winning three U.S. National Flute Association Competitions, including Masterclass in 2003, Big Band in 2009, and Soloist in 2012. In 2010, McBirnie paired with pianist Robi Botos for Mercy, winning Best Jazz Album at the Toronto Independent Music Award. He reunited with Senensky for 2013's Find Your Place, taking home the Vox Pop award at the Independent Music Awards. Another accolade came his way for 2015's Grain of Sand with multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Bruce Jones which won Best Instrumental album category at the Toronto Independent Music Awards. He also authored the book The Technique and Theory of Improvisation: A Practical Guide for Futists, Doublers, and Other Instrumentalists, and served as the resident jazz flute specialist for the website of Irish flute virtuoso Sir James Galway. Along with his solo work, McBirnie was featured on several of Canadian contemporary jazz outfit Four80East's hits, including 2019's "Cinco Cinco Seis" and 2020's "Ba Ba Brazil." In 2020, he and pianist Senensky earned a Juno Award nomination for Best Instrumental Album of the Year for their collaboration The Silent Wish. On 2024's Reflections, McBirnie paid homage to his longtime idol, the late flute legend Paul Horn.
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