Career
Fonville specializes in extended techniques on the flute, especially microtonality, and performs on instruments including a complete set of quarter tone (Kingma system) flutes. He has premiered works by composers including Ben Johnston, Salvatore Martirano, Joji Yuasa, Roger Reynolds, Hiroyuki Itoh, and Paul Koonce. He is the author of Microtonal Fingerings for Flute (1987), A Pedagogical Approach to the Flute Etudes of Joachim Andersen (1981), and "Ben Johnston"s Extended Just IntonationA Guide for Interpreters" (1991).
John Fonville is the flute player, and is listed as such, on the recording credits for the theme song of the movie "Shaft", recorded by Isaac Hayes in 1971 at Stax Studio, Memphis, Tennessee. This is the version used for the 50th anniversary celebration recording in 2007.
AllMusic"s François Couture describes Fonville as, "one of the strongest contemporary flutists.".