Yannick Nézet-Séguin believes in the full engagement of his Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra's conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin believes every player and every instrument should be fully engaged, writes Richard James Havis
The strings are the thing for music director and conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. That's because the Philadelphia Orchestra, which performs at the Venetian Theatre in Macau on May 30 and 31, is well known for its sonorous and rich string section - something that partially results from the players' use of rare vintage instruments such as Stradivari and Guarneri violins.
"The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the very few orchestras in the world nowadays which has a recognisable sound," says Nézet-Séguin, who splits his time between Philadelphia in the US and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in the Netherlands. "It's something we are fortunate to have cultivated throughout the years; there is a depth, a richness, and a generosity to the sound."
An orchestra is 100 individuals who have the possibility and power to be united in purpose, and yet still give 100 per cent individually
At 39, the French-Canadian Nézet-Séguin is one of the stars of the world of classical music. Known for his energy on and off the podium, he has conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra, New York's Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, as well as the Rotterdam and Philadelphia orchestras. Critics note the youthful vigour that he injects into his interpretations of the classics; orchestra members note his approachable and self-effacing manner in a business that generally attracts those with super-sized egos.
In Philadelphia, where he officially took on the title of music director in 2012 - he's being phased in over a three-year period, due to his other commitments - Nézet-Séguin has been responsible for helping to turn around the fortunes of the orchestra, musically and financially. "The ensemble … has never sounded better," Anthony Tommasini wrote in a New York Times review last year.
Nézet-Séguin is also principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, where he is contracted to remain until next year. The workload of dual posts is not a problem, he says. "God has given me more energy than average, and I try to take good care of that energy so it stays for a long time."
He does get tired but works hard to keep fatigue at bay: playing music successfully requires a performer to be fully alert, he says. "Music is very much the electricity of living the moment. If it is not fully engaged, it doesn't mean anything. If I put less energy into what I am doing, how can I expect the musicians to give 100 per cent? I always think, I will do this - and then I will sleep!" It's important, he says, to transmit this energy to the orchestra.