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Blake Pouliot
Born
(1994-01-31) January 31, 1994 (age 31) Toronto, Canada
Blake Pouliot (born January 31, 1994) is a Juno-nominated Canadian professional classical violinist. Pouliot is currently Soloist-in-Residence at the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal.[1]
Early life and education
Pouliot was born in Toronto, Canada. At age seven he began violin, piano and theory lessons at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.[2]
Pre-college he studied violin in Toronto with Marie Berard and Erika Raum before completing his Graduate Violin Performance Diploma at the Colburn School Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, under the tutorage of violinist Robert Lipsett.[5]
Pouliot has been featured on radio broadcasts including CBC Radio[13] and served as Minnesota Public Radio's Performance Today's "Young Artist-in-Residence."[14][15]
His 2018–2019 season included debut concerto performances with the Detroit, Dallas, Milwaukee, San Francisco, and Seattle Symphony Orchestras.
In 2019, Pouliot released his first album with pianist Hsin-I Huang under the Analekta Records label.[16] Featuring both the Ravel Violin Sonata No. 2 in G and the Debussy Violin Sonata in G Minor, the album was nominated for the 2019 "Best Classical Album Solo/Chamber Ensemble' Juno Award.[17]
In 2021, he joined the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal, under musical director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.[1]
Awards and recognition
Pouliot's accolades include the Grand Prize at the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (OSM) Manulife Competition,[18] the Dorothy Delay Aspen Festival Prize,[19] the Grand Prize at the Canadian Federation of Music Festivals,[20] and the Canada Council for the Arts Michael Measures and Virginia Parker Prizes.[21]
He is known for the bright coloured ‘rock star’ clothing which he often enjoys wearing on stage during performances.[26]
Pouliot also appeared in two short movies in acting roles, performed in a television series,[27] and played a private recital for the former Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper.[28]
^Peter Robb, "NAC Gala: Stringing along with rising violin star Blake Pouliot", Artsfile, (Oct 1, 2018), Lynn Saxberg, "Concert Review: Diana Ross helps raise more than $780,000 at NAC Gala", Ottawa Citizen,(Oct. 5, 2018)
^Trish Crawford, "Toronto Violinist Blake Pouliot wins $15,000 Canada Council Michael Measure Prize", Toronto Star (Fri. August 9, 2013); Russell, "Blake Pouliot wins Virginia Parker Prize", Festival Musique de Chambre Montreal, (Nov. 23, 2018).
