Montreal conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin wins best orchestral performance Grammy
Nominated for 2 others, conductor dedicates award 'first and foremost to Florence Price'
Montreal conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin picked up his first Grammy for best orchestral performance during Sunday's non-televised portion of the award show.
Nézet-Séguin conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra and was awarded for his rendition of the first and third symphonies by 20th century African-American composer Florence Price on the album Price: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3.
While Nézet-Séguin was not there to accept the award in person, the Orchestra posted his reaction on its Twitter account.
We are overjoyed! Congratulations to Yannick <a href="https://twitter.com/nezetseguin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nezetseguin</a> and The Philadelphia Orchestra on the 2022 GRAMMY Award for “Best Orchestral Performance” for the recording of Florence Price’s Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3. <a href="https://t.co/jy8LGcUtOO">pic.twitter.com/jy8LGcUtOO</a>
—@philorch"I'm just so thrilled. My first Grammy," he said.
Nézet-Séguin dedicated his award "first and foremost to Florence Price" — the first Black female composer to have her music performed by a major American orchestra.
"Florence Price and all the composers — women, men — who have been overlooked because of injustice in the world. And it's about time we get them back to the place that they are due to have in our programming," he said.
Nézet-Séguin was also nominated for best opera recording and best classical solo vocal album.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante congratulated the conductor on Twitter, saying the Grammy is a well-deserved honour and added that all of Montreal is behind him.
With files from Lauren McCallum