Fresh off his first Grammy win, Montreal maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin eyes upcoming season
Fresh off his first Grammy win with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin returned to Montreal to unveil the upcoming season of concerts with the Orchestre Métropolitain.
The Montreal-born maestro is looking ahead to the upcoming season with gusto and welcoming back audiences at full capacity.
"Getting back to this magic of being live with an audience reacting, breathing in communion, I would say, with the music and the musicians," he said in an interview with CTV News.
But as the music director says, the music never stopped at the Orchestre Métropolitain.
The orchestra continued to perform virtually and was among the first orchestras, he said, to welcome back in-person audiences when they could.
It's been a busy year for the famed conductor. He picked up his first Grammy for best performance by a classical orchestra, though he still hasn't received the actual award.
"I haven't yet held it in my hand. Apparently, it's maybe going to take another month before I get mine," he said.
The award was for a recording of African-American composer Florence Price, the first Black woman whose music was performed by a major American orchestra, and one of the pillars of the orchestra's upcoming season.
Other highlights include a performance with Inuk singer Elisapie and Angel Blue.
Nézet-Séguin has also had to step in — and step up — when one of Europe's best orchestras needed to replace a Russian conductor and Putin supporter.
"I've been doing what I could, helping the Vienna philharmonic when they had to cancel [Valery Gergiev] at the Met," he said. "I've been doing a big concert to benefit Ukraine, so there's ways for musical institutions to express what they believe in."
But Nézet-Séguin says the power of music is to bridge divides and unify, and even as another wave of COVID-19 crests across Canada, the waves of sound and music, he hopes, will continue to move people.
"What we've learned in the past two years, in the waiting, we've learned to listen to each other even more," he said, "and I hope this is going to be a new golden age for this city and for music at large."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Person in flames outside New York courthouse where Trump trial underway, CNN reports
A person set themselves on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place, according to CNN.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.