Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Yannick Nézet-Séguin (born 1975, Montreal) is a French Canadian conductor. He is the son of two professors of education. Nézet-Séguin began to study piano at age five, and decided to become an orchestral conductor at age ten. [cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/young-conductor-will-reply-in-kind/2007/06/26/1182623903772.html | title=Young conductor will reply in kind | publisher="Sydney Morning Herald" | author=Joyce Morgan| date=27 June 2007 | accessdate=2007-08-09]

Nézet-Séguin became the musical director of the Chœur polyphonique de Montréal in 1994 and enrolled at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec the following year. He also studied choral conducting with Joseph Flummerfelt and Hermann Max at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.

At age 22, he succeeded Bernard Uzan as Director of the Opéra de Montréal in 1998. In 1999 and 2000, he conducted the Orchestra of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky, as well the chamber orchestra Les Violons du Roy. He has been music director of the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal since 2000. Nézet-Séguin considers Charles Dutoit and Carlo Maria Giulini as his greatest inspirations as conductors. His current contract with the Orchestre Métropolitain is through 2010. [cite news | url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/arts/story.html?id=f0ef211d-e019-459f-baca-6b4d0fe7d79d&p=1 | title=Dutch treat | publisher="Montreal Gazette" | author=Arthur Kaptainis | date=10 November 2007 | accessdate=2007-11-12]

His UK conducting debut was with the Northern Sinfonia in the 2005-2006 season. He has since debuted with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) in March 2007, and with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in April 2007. [cite news | url=http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/livereviews/story/0,,2063258,00.html | title=SCO/Nézet-Séguin | publisher="The Guardian" | author=Rowena Smith | date=23 April 2007 | accessdate=2007-08-09] In November 2007, the LPO named Nézet-Séguin as their new principal guest conductor, effective with the 2008-2009 season. [cite news | url=http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/7385.html | title=Nézet-Séguin Named London Phil Principal Guest Conductor | publisher="Playbill Arts" | author=Kevin Shihoten | date=20 November 2007 | accessdate=2007-11-21]

In 2005, Nézet-Séguin guest-conducted the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (RPhO) for the first time, and returned in 2006. In December 2006, the RPhO announced the appointment of Nézet-Séguin as their 11th Principal Conductor, by a unanimous vote, effective with the 2008-2009 concert season. [cite news | url=http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/5731.html | title=Yannick Nézet-Séguin to Succeed Valery Gergiev at Rotterdam Philharmonic | publisher="Playbill Arts" | author=Vivien Schweitzer | date=13 December 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-29] Nézet-Séguin has an initial contract in Rotterdam for 4 years.

Honors

* Virginia-Parker Prize (2000)
* Prix Opus (2005)

References

External links

* [http://www.yannicknezetseguin.com/ Official website] (in English and French)
* [http://www.orchestremetropolitain.com/doc.f/orchestre.da.php Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal website, French biography]
* [http://www.orchestremetropolitain.com/doc.e/orchestre.da.php Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal website, English biography]
* [http://www.yannicknezetseguin.com/biography.html Official biography] (in English and French).
* [http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/green/green/home.nsf/ArtistDetails/Yannick%20N%C3%A9zet-S%C3%A9guin Askonas Holt agency biography]
* [http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/green/green/home.nsf/ArtistDetails/Yannick%20N%C3%A9zet-S%C3%A9guin?OpenDocument&Go=Other& Rotterdam Philharmonic Press Release, December 2006, from Askonas Holt site]
* [http://www.scena.org/lsm/sm5-5/Yannick-en.htm "Yannick Nézet-Séguin — A Soaring Talent" by Wah Keung Chan, "La Scena Musicale", February 1, 2000] (in English and French).