Browse "Arts & Culture"

Yannick Bisson, actor (b at Montréal 16 May 1969). Yannick Bisson began his acting career in television commercials as a child. His first substantive role came when he was 15 in the well-received made-for-television movie Hockey Night (1984), starring Megan FOLLOWS and Rick MORANIS.

Yannick Nicholas Nézet-Séguin, CC, OQ, conductor, pianist (born 6 March 1975 in Montréal, QC). Known for brilliance, energy and consummate skill from an uncommonly young age, Yannick Nézet-Séguin made a meteoric rise to prominence as a conductor, particularly of operas. His appointments as music director of Montréal’s Orchestre Métropolitain (2000–) the Philadelphia Orchestra (2012–) and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (2008–18) made him an international star. He was made a Companion of the Order of Canada at age 37 and an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec at 40. In 2016, he was named music director of The Metropolitan Opera, a position he officially began in September 2018. His many honours include numerous Félix Awards, the National Arts Centre Award, the Virginia Parker Prize and the Prix Denise-Pelletier.

Yaron Ross. Pianist, teacher, b Tel-Aviv 28 Apr 1950, naturalized Canadian 1986; BA (Tel-Aviv) 1975, Artist Diploma (Tel-Aviv) 1977, D MUS (Montreal) 1994.

Yasuko Nguyen Thanh, writer (b 1972). The experiences Yasuko Thanh gained during her unorthodox life show in her writing. Dropping out of school at the age of 15, Thanh lived on the streets for a time, and lived in Mexico, Germany and Latin America. Thanh wrote extensively during her travels.

Ydessa Hendeles, CM, OOnt, art collector, curator, artist, philanthropist (born 27 December 1948 in Marburg, Germany). A winner of the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts, Ydessa Hendeles is best known as one of the world’s leading collectors of contemporary art and photography. The founder of the Ydessa Hendeles Art Foundation in Toronto, she has curated more than 35 contemporary art exhibitions in Toronto and around the world.

If Yevgeny Yevtushenko did not exist, another author might have invented him as the central character in one of those sweeping epics that Russian writers adore. The problem would be that, as a work of fiction, Yevtushenko's real life strains credulity.

Ying Chen, novelist (b at Shanghai, China 1961 ). A graduate in French language and literature from Shanghai University, Ying Chen initially set her sights on a career as a translator: in addition to French, she has mastered English, Japanese, Russian and Mandarin.

Yoland Guérard. Bass, TV host and producer, administrator, b Joliette, Que, 11 Oct 1923, d Rueil-Malmaison, near Paris, 2 Nov 1987.

Yolande Deslauriers-Husaruk, soprano (born 14 June 1938 in Montréal, QC).

Yolande Dulude. Soprano, born Montreal 12 Jan 1931, died there 18 Aug 2003; lauréat (Basile-Moreau College) 1948. After studying piano for a number of years, she began voice study in 1944.

Yolande Villemaire, teacher, writer (b at St-Augustin-des-Deux-Montagnes, Qué 28 Aug 1949). After studying dramatic arts at UQAM, where she received her BA (1970) and MA (1974), she taught creative literature at the Rosemont CEGEP.

York Winds. Wind quintet formed in Toronto in 1972.

In 1932, Karsh moved to Ottawa, where he opened a portrait studio with the intent of photographing what he calls "people of consequence." His stated goal, expressed in his 1962 autobiography In Search of Greatness: Reflections of Yousuf Karsh, was to distill "the essence of the extraordinary person.

He began studying cello at the age of seven. He first attended the Moscow Central Music 1946-57, then pursued his studies at the Moscow Conservatory with Galina Kozolupova 1957-69.

Yuval R. Fichman. Pianist, b Tel Aviv, 21 Mar 1965, naturalized Canadian 1972; ARCT 1981. His family moved to Toronto in 1967 and in 1976 he continued his piano studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music with Mildred Kenton and Andrew Markow.

Yvan Bienvenue, poet, playwright, producer, translator, publisher (b at Saint-Hyacinthe, Qué 14 August 1962). Yvan Bienvenue studied playwriting at the École nationale de théâtre du Canada in the late 1980s and co-founded the Théâtre Urbi et Orbi with Stéphane Jacques in 1992.

Yves Beauchemin, writer (b at Noranda, Québec; d 26 June 1941). Before becoming a Radio-Québec researcher, Beauchemin taught and worked in publishing.

Yves Beaupré. Harpsichord maker, b Montreal 21 Mar 1954; B MUS (Montreal) 1980. He first devoted himself to performance and was trained at the St-Laurent Cegep and at the University of Montreal.

Yves Chartier. Musicologist, teacher, b Thetford-les-Mines Que, 18 Aug 1942; Lauréat AMQ piano 1959, BA french, latin (Ottawa) 1964, MA classics (Ottawa) 1965, Docteur en musicologie (Paris-Sorbonne) 1973. He began teaching at Ottawa U in 1969.

Daoust, Yves. Composer, teacher, b Longueuil, near Montreal 10 Apr 1946. Daoust began studies in piano at age seven, wrote a film soundtrack for "prepared" piano at 16, and at 19 completed his first electronic work, for a Berlin theatre.