Wednesday, January 27, 2021

YANNICK

The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the world’s preeminent orchestras. It strives to share the transformative power of music with the widest possible audience, and to create joy, connection, and excitement through music in the Philadelphia region, across the country, and around the world. And we love them and it's conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin's for it. 

The man is amazing, and not only for his very tight clothing and good looks...this man has talent,  and I have said several times, he speaks and has mastered the English language more skilled and precise and eloquent even over some Americans. But this week I love him even more now  as what I saw on his Instagram yesterday. The Phil Orch,  and his own Instagram is very entertaining btw. On his account, he posted his letter to President Biden!  The Philadelphia Orchestra music director, Yannick, is urging the incoming presidential administration to take immediate action to help save a U.S. arts sector battered by the pandemic. and the last administration's havocHe urges them to consider appointing a cabinet-level champion dedicated to arts and culture — an idea proposed by others that has gathered steam. Yannick said in his letter “In order to progress, to elevate the arts, we need a voice at the table that will be heard,” he writes. The letter was posted Tuesday on social media and in the Philly Inquire, and will be sent directly to Biden and Harris, his second. 

He also wrote a letter right after they won the election and congratulated Biden and Harris, and says that although he is a Canadian citizen, as music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera, two of the country’s greatest cultural institutions, he is a proud artistic citizen of the United States of America. He writes their election could not come at a more opportune time, saying that “like many industries, the arts and culture sector of the United States has suffered greatly over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and vital government support for the arts has been late and insufficient to date. Many arts branches are struggling to stay open, and many symphonies are now on verge of collapse. He notes the long shutdown of concert halls, opera houses, theaters, museums, and artistic spaces. "Durning this time we have lost so many colleagues and musicians that make up the diverse fabric of the American artistic voice. We have lost the driving force in our lives: making music, theater, creating art for live audiences.” "Now, as you take office, Nézet-Séguin writes, “we finally feel a sense of HOPE. During the last four years, the arts were effectively dismissed, the NEA and NEH were deemed ‘wasteful,’ and the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities (PCAH) was disbanded." And he is right. For three of the four years the dump administration was in,  the White House had proposed a federal budget that would shutter the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — which supports PBS and NPR — and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. While they didn't shutter them they did do deep cuts, the plan provided small appropriations for each agency to facilitate its orderly demise. The cuts total $897 million of the $4.7 trillion 2020 spending plan. In another part of the letter he wrote " Mr. President, it’s clear you understand the value of the arts. As you said, ‘The future, who we are, lies in the arts. It’s the expression of our soul.’ And Madam Vice President, your statement that ‘the arts give people an outlet to view the world differently’ could not be more accurate. For these reasons, I urge your administration to prioritize the arts for the benefit of this country, for all Americans.” Very well said Yannick. I couldn't agree more. 

Who could imagine life without the arts,  and why would they want to?

29 comments:

  1. Here Here!!!! He is one of the most brilliant men and talents in the field of classic music in some time. We have missed going to see the orchestra terribly, but we still gave our dues anyhow. They are all in great need. I just adore him. Bravo for this. I did see this yesterday in the paper. I'm only shocked the NYT has given his letter zero press. Their coverage of the performing arts apocalypses has been extremely MIA.

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  2. I saw that in a news feed here too. Fantastic letter. Hope it get their attention. And eyt another reason it's good trump administration is gone. They ravaged the arts. What did they want, a country of under educated, non cultured, citizens??? A friend of mine worked at the Met of Art in NY, and even has big as they are, they felt the cuts terrible, some positions even cut.

    Also I find Yannick Nezet-Seguin extremely sexy.

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  3. Bravo to him! I have heard him in interviews. He is beautifully articulated. I could listen to him talk for hours. I don't trust anyone who doesn't supports the arts.

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    1. Me tooooo. I love to hear him being interviewed...words just roll off his tongue and in a very calming way.

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  4. His letters brought tears when he shared the letters. It's been very tough and a hard year with not much coming in like usual and losing members. And we thank Maestro Yannick for speaking out and supporting us and the arts.

    Thanks for posting! And supporting.

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    1. I have heard nothing but high regard for him.

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  5. Im not into classical music much, but everybody in town loves Yannick!!!! I read in the Inquire also that he and his partner were even matching dollar for dollar in January for their fundraising efforts, I think it's great he and Pierre are so keen to support the unique artists and orchestra at this time. They are city jewels!

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  6. This is a grand gesture! I hope someone wakes up before it's too late. The arts are greatly hurting.We had three different PBS stations here, now down to one. And I agree with others...all that talent and hotness.

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  7. Cap Chasen1/27/2021

    Not only renowned for his talent and musical contributions, but apparently a great leader and shows initiative.

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  8. Yes, yes.... music.... the arts... all very nice... but, ummm... Didn't I read something about 'tight clothing'? Just wondering... I thought... and maybe I am mistaken but... ummm... that rather handsome, devilish looking man... didn't you say something about... ummm... tight clothing? No? Sure? I.. I could have sworn you did. But... no? Hmmm. Okay. Well. Lovely post. Bit of false advertising, as it were, there... you know.. regarding... tight clothing. Sigh.

    No, actually, I think its high time the arts did have more exposure and a seat at the bargaining table. It becomes an issue of who gets funding... and that can get dicey, with biases, past relationships and blind spots, but... it would be a start. Nice letter. Thanks.

    So, ummm... that's a 'no' on the, er ummm... tight clothing? Yes? No? Just checking. Thought you might, you know... changer yer mind... ha, ha, ha... no harm, no foul. Just... checking... So? A hard no. Oh, okay. Thanks for posting.

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    1. You have a one track mind today. I love it.

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  9. Cool, you learn something new every day. 👍🏻
    Arts need to exist, btw! 🙂

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  10. SO fucking sexy! and cultured! and french canadian! we are lucky to have yannick lead the fabulous philadelphians!

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  11. Wow. He's got another new fan! Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Best wishes to him!
    Doing good work and important.
    xoxo :-)

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  13. What a man, What a man, Whata Man. what a mighty good man...(He's a mighty mighty good man)

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  14. Great letter!
    And of course is not strange that under IMPOTUS2 the arts went to hell. Wasteful, huh? Ugh.
    He's super sexy. And Canadian? Yes, please.

    XOXO

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  15. The Philadelphia Orchestra [with its then conductor, Eugene Ormandy] was one of the staples of my cultural 'awakening' way back when I was a teenager. However, in recent decades its glories of former times have rather faded and I really do now look forward to seeing it re-emerge as a significant force in world culture. And what better figurehead could it have than this Yannick chappie of whom I was not aware, but looks and sounds like he could be dynamite. Very best of luck to him.

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    1. He has done amazing things Raybread. The last two years in the off season when they did their European tours...they often got standing ovations and two to three encores. They were a hit.

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    2. Can't imagine how I've managed to miss reports of their/his success. I'll be more attentive from now on.

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  16. you know: I'm oin love with Yannick

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  17. We very much need a Cabinet-level position. SO many small organizations are folding. His orchestra and the Met will survive. They have large donors (the 1%), the tiny ones like your local Bucks County Playhouse need the help.

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    1. Dear WHK you are right; it is small organisations that need help whether in the arts, sport, retail, catering etc., rather than the companies sitting on huge money mountains.

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    2. I have not heard anything about the playhouse. I know their is a lot of wealth here in Bucks...so I hope they come through. It's where I saw Betty Buckley when she came here.

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  18. I've come across Yannick N at the Met where I go (online) for my opera fixes. Good looking and a first class conductor; what more do you need?

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    1. Helen...I have no idea how he manages to do both, the Met and the Philly Orch. and still make it look all so nonchalant and with such finesse. He is something.

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!