As Charles Dutoit prepares to move into the position of conductor laureate for the 2012-2013 season, Yannick Nézet-Séguin (pictured) will fill the position as the eighth director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, as announced by the organization earlier in the month. According to association chairman Richard B. Worley, “Yannick was the overwhelming choice of the search committee.”
Known for his collaborative approach, Nézet-Séguin told The Philadelphia Inquirer, "A conception and an interpretation should be something which is open enough to encompass all the difference of the different groups. As much as the style and the respect for the composer is important, it's important to have and respect the input of the individual musicians. That's my way of seeing conducting."
His interpretations often vary based on the musicians he conducts, yielding what may be viewed as seemingly different productions. Nézet-Séguin cites Dutoit, one of his main influences and mentors, as an inspiration for his conducting style and deep respect for musicians and their artistry.
The hiring of a conductor with such an affable manner could perhaps not have come at a better time. In the face of low attendance and budgetary shortages for the Philadelphia Orchestra, Nézet-Séguin has already reached out to patrons (among them managing directors of the Metropolitan Opera, who have agreed to sponsor next season’s production of Carmen). He has also reached out to the Philadelphia public, visiting landmarks such as the Liberty Bell and attending a Phillies game. Nézet-Séguin also brought his parents and partner, Montreal Orchestre Métropolitain chorus master Pierre Tourville, to dine with Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter.
In the 2010-2011 season leading up to his appointment, Nézet-Séguin will conduct performances of Haydn, Mahler, Debussy, and others, including the first Philadelphia Orchestra performance of Mozart’s Requiem in the past 20 years.
Nézet-Séguin, 37, also serves as the artistic director and principal conductor of the Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal, the principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic in the Netherlands.
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