Montreal conductor wins best opera recording, best classical solo vocal album at Grammys

Montreal conductor and pianist Yannick Nézet-Séguin added two Grammys to his collection Sunday night for his classical works. 

Nézet-Séguin took home best opera recording for Blanchard: Fire Shut Up In My Bones and best classical solo vocal album for Voice Of Nature — The Anthropocene at the 65th annual Grammy Awards. He was nominated for a total of five awards. 

While he couldn't make it to Los Angeles due to a scheduled performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Nézet-Séguin said he finished just in time to tune in to the awards.

"I was shaking, I was really shaking," said Nézet-Séguin of his reaction after learning he'd won. 

"It's just when you receive this as a conductor, it's a Grammy that's in the name of so many people … it's like hundreds of people that deserve [it] and I'm really accepting it on behalf of all these people." 

Fire Shut Up In My Bones was the first opera by a Black composer (Terence Blanchard) to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York while Voice Of Nature — The Anthropocene aims to raise awareness about climate change through song and poetry.

Nézet-Séguin says it's an honour to be recognized for works that have such significance. 

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante congratulated the conductor on Twitter, saying he "fills Montrealers with pride." These wins bring Nézet-Séguin's Grammy total to three. 

Starting his musical journey with piano lessons as a child, Nézet-Séguin says his passion for music really sparked when he began singing in a choir — "making music together" — at the age of 10. 

"I fell in love with music by sharing it with others and this is what I do now as a conductor," he said. 

He said it's important for schools to offer music classes so other kids can find their passion too.

Nézet-Séguin is the music director for the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal and holds the same position with the Metropolitan Opera and the Philadelphia Orchestra. 

On Sunday, his contract with the Philadelphia Orchestra was extended until 2030.

"Making music is all about connections, especially in an orchestra," he said. "I love these long-term relationships when we can really achieve things together."