Montreal conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin won two trophies out of a possible five at the first Grammy ceremony on Sunday afternoon. Two awards in addition to the first he won last year, and which encourage him in his open and inclusive vision of music.
“Last year, I was so moved to be rewarded as a conductor. There, it’s as an opera conductor and as a pianist, it seems to complete my life! »
Yannick Nézet-Séguin answered our questions by audio message Sunday evening, as he was preparing to leave Philadelphia by plane. He had just conducted in the afternoon a very demanding program of three plays by Rachmaninoff – including the Concerto noh 3 – with the Philadelphia Orchestra, which means that he was unable to pick up his prizes in Los Angeles during the Premiere Ceremony.
The conductor was first awarded with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for the best recording of an opera, with Fire Shut Up In My Bones by Terence Blanchard. He went on to win, as a pianist, the Grammy for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album for Voice of Nature – The Anthropocenea collaboration with American soprano Renée Fleming.
As I was nominated five times, yes, I was very feverish. But I was also happy, because it continues to encourage my businesses, my goals, my passion, my mission to develop music as an instrument to build bridges between different cultures, and to have a social impact.
Yannick Nezet-Seguin
For him, these Grammys are therefore “great encouragement” to pursue this vision. “It’s a vision I have at the Orchester métropolitain, it’s very important to emphasize that. A programming vision that I bring to Philadelphia and New York, and which is recognized worldwide. »
The conductor therefore hopes that people will continue to follow him in Montreal and Quebec… “And, who knows, maybe one day win a Grammy with the Metropolitan Orchestra! »
Receiving an award as a pianist obviously particularly touched him, since the conductor has been back to his instrument for just a few years.
“But what really touches me deeply is the fact of being rewarded for Blanchard, for the record with Renée Fleming which deals with climate change. It is very important, it indicates a new era for the classic, which I am very proud to represent in this way. »
Yannick Nézet-Séguin won his first Grammy last year for the project Price – Symphonies nbone 1 and 3which was crowned Best Orchestral Performance of the Year.
PHOTO JAE C. HONG, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Stephanie Economou
Other Quebecers
For their part, the other Quebec artists in the running – Allison Russell who was cited twice, Kaytranada, Arcade Fire and Xavier Dolan for her work on Adele’s music video Easy On Me – did not receive any awards.
Moreover, while video game music was rewarded for the first time in Grammy history, it was the soundtrack of a game developed in Montreal by Ubisoft that won the first trophy. It is indeed the music ofAssassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarokby composer Stephanie Economou, who received top honors.