Dr. Colin Eatock, composer
  • Home
  • About Colin Eatock
  • Composing
  • Catalogue of works
  • Writing about music
  • Eatock Daily (blog)
  • New and upcoming
  • Contact me

Yannick Nézet-Séguin On Being Canadian

3/19/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
On top of the world at 37.
I just got back to Toronto, having spent a very pleasant weekend in Montreal. I saw some friends and heard some music, but the main purpose of my trip was to interview Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

In case you don’t know – and if you don’t, I must wonder what planet you’ve been living on for the last few years – Nézet-Séguin is the fast-tracking Canadian maestro who currently leads the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal and the Rotterdam Philharmonic, and is also principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic. Just in case all of that is not enough, in September he’ll be taking up the position of music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra. And he’s only 37.


I interviewed Nézet-Séguin for an article I’m writing about him for the Summer issue of Queen’s Quarterly (published by Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario). In it, I’ll talk about his meteoric rise to international prominence, and also about the state of the Philadelphia Orchestra – which, despite its past and present glories, is currently in bankruptcy protection.

These are complex, intertwined topics, and you’ll have to wait until July to read the whole story. But here’s a sneak preview. My final question to Nézet-Séguin was, “Do you find that being Canadian helps you, or hinders you, or has any effect at all on your international career as a conductor?” Here’s what he said:

“Basically, being Canadian doesn’t hurt – but I’m not sure how much it helps in terms of being considered. But what helps is our spirit. In Canada the social hierarchy is not so present: people are very respectful of one another, but we do not care so much about hierarchy. My way of approaching an orchestra is to take a lot of care, whether it’s the third trumpet or the last stand of the second violins. They’re all part of the orchestra.

“In some cultures, especially in Europe, this is very unusual. Normally, the conductor will only address the leaders of the sections. I think this effecting the reaction to my music making, in a positive way. And I like to think this is Canadian.”


© Colin Eatock 2012
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Eatock Daily

    I'm a composer based in Toronto – and this is my classical music blog, Eatock Daily.

    When I first started blogging, Eatock Daily was a place to re-post the articles I wrote for Toronto’s Globe and Mail and National Post newspapers, the Houston Chronicle, the Kansas City Star and other publications.

    But now I have stepped back from professional music journalism, and I'm spending more time composing.

    These days, my blog posts are infrequent, and are mostly concerned with my own music. However, I do still occasionally post comments on musical topics, including works I've discovered, enjoyed, and wish to share with others.


    – CE

    Archives

    March 2022
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    June 2020
    September 2019
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Index

    Click here for an alphabetical list of blog entries.

    RSS Feed

    Follow colineatock on Twitter
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.