On Thursday 16 November 2023, our founder and president, Joan Milkson, was honoured to be one of 15 people inducted into the Order of Ottawa this year.

Joan is a founding member and assistant concertmaster of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. During her 39 years with the orchestra, she founded the NAC Musicians in the School Quintet and, with her NACO colleagues, performed in schools in the National Capital Region, offering young people an introduction to, and broader understanding of, classical music.

In 2002, she founded the Young String Performers’ Foundation (YSPF) to “create, provide, promote and subsidize opportunities that will develop the abilities of promising young string performers of the National Capital Region up to the age of 18” (see About the Foundation). During the more than 20 years the YSPF has been in existence, it has offered performance opportunities and financial support to several hundred aspiring young string musicians in the National Capital Region, some of whom now have solo careers or are members of internationally renowned orchestras.

We are pleased that the City of Ottawa has chosen to formally recognize Joan’s contribution not only to the city, but also to the entire National Capital Region.