Blake Pouliot

Pouliot was born in Toronto, Canada. At age seven he began violin, piano and theory lessons at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.{{cite web|url=https://rcmusic.com/learning/examinations/recognizing-achievement/recognizing-achievement-canada|title=Recognizing Achievement - Canada - The Royal Conservatory of Music|website=rcmusic.com}}

During his schooling years he was a member of a local string quartet and pop rock group and he served as Concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and the Youth Orchestra of the Americas.{{Cite web|url=http://orchestraoftheamericas.org/2018-gala/|title=2018 Gala|website=orchestraoftheamericas.org|access-date=2019-06-06}}{{Cite web|url=http://orchestraoftheamericas.org/people/blake-pouliot/|title=Blake Pouliot – The Orchestra of the Americas|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-06}}

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.{{Cite web|title=Blake Pouliot|url=https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/artists/4294/blake-pouliot|access-date=2021-11-08|website=LA Phil|language=en}}

At age eleven Pouliot made his orchestral solo debut with the Trinity Strings Orchestra of Toronto. This was followed by solo performances with orchestras including the Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Center Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and the Colburn Orchestra. He has performed under conductors including Sir Neville Marriner,{{Cite web |last=Ginell |first=Richard S. |date=2015-01-19 |title=Review: Ageless Neville Marriner leads the Colburn Orchestra |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-neville-marriner-and-the-colburn-orchestra-at-walt-disney-concert-hall-20150119-story.html |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} Nicolas McGegan,Joseph K So, "This week In Toronto", La Scena Musicale, (Nov. 22, 2010), https://pasadenasymphony-pops.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/17-18-Pasadena-Symphony-Classics-Season-Announcement.pdf

Vasily Petrenko,Christophe Huss, "Blake Pouliot vole le "show" au dompter d’orchestres", Le Devoir, (Feb. 23, 2017). Carl St. Clair,{{cite web|url=https://www.pacificsymphony.org/about_us/press_room/press_releases/2016-17/SITC-2016|title=Pacific Symphony : Detail|website=www.pacificsymphony.org}} Alain Trudel,{{cite web|url=https://www.toledosymphony.com/events/2019/03/02/welltower-mozart-in-the-afternoon/musical-geniuses/|title=Musical Geniuses|website=Toledo Symphony Orchestra}} and Hugh Wolff,{{cite web|url=https://www.musicalamerica.com/news/newsstory.cfm?archived=0&storyID=35616&categoryID=5|title=MusicalAmerica - Press Releases|website=www.musicalamerica.com}} and has performed with Yo Yo Ma and Diana Ross.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)

Pouliot has been featured on radio broadcasts including CBC Radio{{cite web|url=http://www.musicmondays.ca/pastseasons.html|title=Music Mondays|website=www.musicmondays.ca}} and served as Minnesota Public Radio's Performance Today's "Young Artist-in-Residence."{{Cite web|url=https://www.yourclassical.org/story/2017/10/11/blake-pouliot|title=Young Artist in Residence: Blake Pouliot {{!}} Your Classical {{!}} YourClassical|date=2017-10-13|website=www.yourclassical.org|access-date=2019-06-06}}{{Citation|last=Performance Today|title=Blake Pouliot performs Estrellita|date=2017-10-19|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYMfaRBTWOw|access-date=2019-06-06}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Blake Pouliot drops his debut album, wins $20K prize |url=http://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/19705/blake-pouliot-womens-musical-club-prize-ravel |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=CBC Music}} 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.Robert Rowat, "Classical Junos: Who should win the solo/chamber category?" CBC Music Junos, (Feb. 28, 2019), https://junoawards.ca/nomination/2019-classical-album-of-the-year-solo-or-chamber-blake-pouliot-with-hsin-i-huang/ "Canadian 2019 Juno Music Award Nominees Announced – INC. VC Young Artist Blake Pouliot", Classical Music News, (Feb. 4 2019). https://theviolinchannel.com/2019-canadian-juno-music-award-nominations-announced-james-ehnes-blake-pouliot/

In 2021, he joined the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal, under musical director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.{{Cite web|title=Blake Pouliot & Yannick Nézet-Séguin|url=https://orchestremetropolitain.com/en/concert/blake-pouliot-yannick-nezet-seguin-2/|access-date=2021-11-14|website=Orchestre Metropolitain|language=en-CA}}

Pouliot's accolades include the Grand Prize at the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (OSM) Manulife Competition,Olivier Gentil, "OSM Manulife Competition", La Scena Musicale, (Oct. 12, 2017), BWW News Desk, "Royal Conservatory Alumnus Blake Pouliot Wins Grand Prize at OSM Manulife Competition", Broadway World, Toronto, (Nov. 28, 2016) the Dorothy Delay Aspen Festival Prize,Laura Smith, "Aspen Music Festival and School Announces 2016 Season", Musical America Worldwide, (Feb. 8, 2016). the Grand Prize at the Canadian Federation of Music Festivals,The Pictou Advocate, Vol. 118, No. 34 (Au. 24, 2011) p. 8.

http://www.nbfmf.org/FCMF_2011_all_winners_Press_Release_NB_higlighted.pdf and the Canada Council for the Arts Michael Measures and Virginia Parker Prizes.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).

As the top honoree at the 2015{{Cite web|last=2015-09-28T00:00:00+01:00|title=Canada's Musical Instrument Bank names 2015 recipients of fine stringed instruments|url=https://www.thestrad.com/canadas-musical-instrument-bank-names-2015-recipients-of-fine-stringed-instruments/1303.article|access-date=2021-11-14|website=The Strad|language=en}} and the 2018 Canada Council of the Arts Musical Instrument Bank Competition, he was awarded the six year loan of a 1729 Guarneri del Gesu{{cite web|url=https://instrumentbank.canadacouncil.ca:443/2018/blake-pouliot|title=Blake Pouliot|website=Musical Instrument Bank}} violin — previously performed on by fellow Canadian countrymen, Timothy Chooi and Nikki Chooi. He has twice been featured on CBC’s "30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians under 30" list.{{Cite web|last=Chandler|first=Justin|date=August 8, 2017|title=30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30, 2017 edition|url=https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/30-hot-canadian-classical-musicians-under-30-2017-edition-1.5005008|url-status=live|website=CBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808024356/https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/30-hot-canadian-classical-musicians-under-30-2017-edition-1.5005008 |archive-date=2019-08-08 }}

Pouliot lives in New York Peter Robb, "NAC Gala: Stringing along with rising violin star Blake Pouliot", Artsfile, (Oct 1, 2018)

https://artsfile.ca/nac-gala-stringing-along-with-rising-violin-star-blake-pouliot/

He is known for the bright coloured ‘rock star’ clothing which he often enjoys wearing on stage during performances.{{Cite web|date=2019-05-17|title=Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado leaves his mark on exciting Brahms and Berlioz performance by the DSO|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/performing-arts/2019/05/17/conductor-pablo-heras-casado-leaves-his-mark-on-exciting-brahms-and-berlioz-performance-by-the-dso/|access-date=2021-11-12|website=Dallas News|language=en}}

Pouliot also appeared in two short movies in acting roles, performed in a television series,{{cite web|title=Blake Pouliot|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3112676/|website=IMDb}} and played a private recital for the former Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper.{{cite web|title=Guest Musician Spotlight: Blake Pouliot|date=28 November 2014 |url=http://hpo.org/guest-musician-spotlight-blake-pouliot/|publisher=}}

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Category:1994 births

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian classical violinists

Category:Musicians from Toronto

Category:The Royal Conservatory of Music alumni

Category:Colburn School alumni

Category:Canadian expatriates in the United States

Category:21st-century Canadian violinists and fiddlers

Category:Canadian male violinists and fiddlers