In 2018, he completes his engagement with the Rotterdam Philharmonic for whom he'll stay Honorary Conductor, and becomes Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, New York, remaining in post with the Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal and The Philadelphia Orchestra, until at least summer 2026.

Yannick has worked with many leading European ensembles and enjoys close collaborations with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Bayerischer Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester and Chamber Orchestra of Europe; between 2008 and 2014 he was also Principal Guest Conductor of London Philharmonic Orchestra. He has appeared three times at the BBC Proms and at many European festivals, among them Edinburgh, Lucerne, Salzburg and Grafenegg (Vienna). North American summer appearances include New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival, Lanaudiere, Vail and Saratoga. With the Philadelphia Orchestra, he goes regulaly to Carnegie Hall. He also conducts master classes, notably at two of the most renowned institutions, the Curtis Institute of Philadelphia and the Julliard School of New York.

2013/14 marked the start of his three-year term as Artist-in-Residence at Konzerthaus Dortmund which featured The Philadelphia Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Berliner Philhamoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker and chamber concerts.

He conducts regularly The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and The Chamber Orchestra of Europe on Asian and European tours. In November 2017, he has led the Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal in its very first European tour.

Yannick is equally comfortable in the pit and on the concert podium. After doing his first opera conducting experiences for the Opéra de Montréal from 2000 to 2004, in L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Le Barbier de Séville, Cosi fan tutte, Pelléas et Mélisande et L'Elisir d'amore, he returned once in a while for Wozzeck, Madame Butterfly, Salomé and Elektra. He made his Salzburg Festival opera debut in 2008 with a new production of Roméo et Juliette, returning in 2010 and 2011 for Don Giovanni. In the 2009/10 season, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut with their new production of Carmen; since then, he has returned each season to conduct Don Carlo, Faust, La Traviata, Rusalka, Otello, Der fliegende Hollander, Parsifal and Elektra before he was named Music Director beginning with the season 2018-2019. He has conducted for Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Netherlands Opera and Vienna State Opera; in 2011, he began the cycle of Mozart's seven mature operas for Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, all recorded live by Deutsche Grammophon.

September 2013 marks Yannick's first Deutsche Grammophon labelled symphonic recording; for the occasion, he conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra in his first studio release for a major label since 1997; their Stravinsky (The Rite of Spring)-Stokowski (transcriptions from Bach and Stravinsky) knows a huge success. Recent DG releases, both with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, include Mendelssohn Symphonies 1-5 and Le nozze di Figaro, which won the 2017 ECHO Klassik for Best Opera Recording and a GRAMMY nomination. September 2017 has seen the release of Duets, an album of French and Italian opera duets recorded with Rolando Villazón, Ildar Abdrazakov and the Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal. The DG discography also includes, among others, the Complete Schumann symphonies, Rachmaninov Variations with Daniil Trifonov and The Philadelphia Orchestra; Tchaikovsky with Lisa Batiashvili and the Rotterdam Philharmonic; Visions of Prokofiev with Lisa Batiashvili and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Following their live performances of Leonard Bernstein's Mass, Yannick conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra and all the singers in a recording released in March 2018. Many more recordings are available under various labels: with the Rotterdam Philharmonic (EMI Classics, BIS); the London Philharmonic (LPO label); and the Orchestre Métropolitain of Montréal (ATMA Classique).

Yannick studied piano, conducting, composition, and chamber music at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec in Montreal and choral conducting at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey before going on to study with renowned conductors, most notably the Italian maestro Carlo Maria Giulini. By the time he made his European debut in 2004, he had already founded his own professional orchestra and vocal ensemble, La Chapelle de Montréal, going on to conduct all the major ensembles in Canada. His honours include Musical America’s Artist of the Year (2016), ECO KLASSIK’s Conductor of the year (2014), Royal Philharmonic Society Award; National Arts Centre Award; Virginia-Parker Award; Prix Denise-Pelletier; Oskar Morawetz Award. He holds six honorary doctorates from the University of Québec in Montreal (2011), Curtis Institute in Philadelphia (2014), Westminster Choir College of Rider University (2015), McGill University in Montreal (2017), Université de Montréal (2017); Penn University (2018).  He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada (2012), Companion ot the Order of Arts and Letters of Québec (2015), Officer of the Order of Québec (2015) and Officer of the Order of Montreal (2017).

Timeline

1975

March 6 — Born in Montreal (Ahuntsic neighbourhood).

1994

Artistic direction, Chœur polyphonique de Montréal (Montreal Cathedral).

1995

• Creation of the Chapelle de Montréal, professional vocal and instrumental ensemble.
• Artistic Director of the Chœur de Laval.
• Creation of the Ensemble Orchestral de Montréal.
• First concert with a large orchestra: Ensemble Orchestral and Chœur de Laval.

1996

Five first prizes from the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal.

1997

Several notable and significant encounters with Maestro Carlo Maria Giulini.

1998

• Assistant conductor and choir master at the Opéra de Montréal.
• First concert as guest conductor at the Orchestre Métropolitain (Montreal).

1999

• Prix Opus “Revelation of the Year”.
• “Person of the week”, La Presse.
• Guest conductor at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for a youth concert.

2000

• Artistic Director and Chief conductor of the Orchestre Métropolitain (Montréal).
• Virginia Parker Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts.
• First opera conducted in Montreal: Lakmé, Delibes, concert version.
• 100^th performance (concert or opera) (October 19).

2001

First concert conducted outside of Québec with the CBC Radio Orchestra (Vancouver).

2003

• Start of collaboration with Atma Classique (La Strada, Nino Rota).
• Chief Guest Conductor at the Victoria Symphony.
• Start of collaboration with Askonas Holt agency.

2004

European debut with the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse.

2005

• 500^th performance (October 29).

2006

• First concert as Guest Conductor in the United States, with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
• First concert as Guest Conductor with the Sächsische Staatskapelle, Dresden.
• First concert as Guest Conductor with the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest.

2007

First concert as Guest Conductor with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

2008

• Debut at the Salzburg Festival (Roméo and Juliette, Gounod).
• First concert as Guest Conductor with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
• First concert as Guest Conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
• Chief Guest Conductor at the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
• Chief Conductor at the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest.

2009

• Debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York (Carmen, Bizet, 6 performances).
• Award from the Royal Philharmonic Society, London, in the Young Artist category.

2010

• Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.
• First concert as Guest Conductor with the Wiener Philharmoniker.
• First concert as Guest Conductor with the Berliner Philharmoniker.
• 1000^th performance (October 10).

2011

• First concert as Guest Conductor with the Bayerischer Rundfunk Orchester (Munich).
• Denise-Pelletier Award.
• Honorary doctorate from Université du Québec à Montréal.
• Person of the Year (Arts category), La Presse/Radio-Canada.
• First opera conducted at La Scala, Milan (Roméo and Juliette, Gounod)

2012

• Music Director at the Philadelphia Orchestra.
• First concert conducted at Carnegie Hall (Verdi’s Requiem with the Philadelphia Orchestra).
• Companion of the Order of Canada.
• First opera conducted at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London (Dvoràk’s Rusalka).
• Long-term collaboration agreement with Deutches Grammophon.

2013

2013-2016 — Conductor-in-residence at the Konzerthaus, Dortmund.

2014

• Prix Opus for best outreach outside Quebec.
• Honorary doctorate from Curtis Institute, Philadelphia.
• Echo Klassik Award of Conductor of the year, Stravinsky/Stokowski recording.
• Name appears in the proper names edition of the Petit Robert dictionary.
• 1500^th performance (December 13).

2015

• Honorary doctorate from Westminster Choir College, Rider University, Princeton.
• Companion, Arts and Letters of Québec.
• Officer of the National Order of Quebec.
• Québec National Assembly Medal.
• Artist of the Year 2016 (Musical America).

2016

• 1700^th performance (May 31).
• Appointed as Musical Director of the Metropolitan Opera (New York).
• Honorary Member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.

2017

• Music Director designate of the Metropolitan Opera (New York).
• Honorary doctorate from Mc Gill University (Montreal)
• Officer of the Order of Montreal
• Oskar Morawetz Award (Counsil of Arts, Ontario)

2018

Musical Director of the Metropolitan Opera (New York).