MONTREAL, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Orchestre Métropolitain and Bombardier, two major Quebec institutions firmly rooted in their community, came together this evening for the Sixth Annual OM Benefit Gala, presented this year around the theme “Great conductor, great chef”. The gala took place in a spectacular setting, at the Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre in Dorval where the interior fittings of Global business jets are designed, manufactured, and installed, against the backdrop of a superb Global 7500 aircraft, the world’s largest and longest-range business jet that has redefined business aviation.
Presented by TD Bank Group, the event took place under the honorary chairmanship of ÉRIC MARTEL, President and CEO, Bombardier, in the presence of YANNICK NÉZET-SÉGUIN, Principal Conductor and Artistic Director, Orchestre Métropolitain, and Quebec culinary chef MARIE-FLEUR ST-PIERRE, Head chef at both Tapeo, the renowned tapas restaurant, and Mesón, a restaurant she co-owns. The role of Master of ceremony has been entrusted to ÈVE LAURIER, Vice President, Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs, at Bombardier, who masterfully led the most important charity event for OM.
This memorable evening began with the traditional welcome cocktail, followed by a private concert with the Orchestre Métropolitain, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, a discussion with Éric Martel and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, on the themes of leadership and family, and a silent auction, all accompanied by a gourmet experience with Marie-Fleur St-Pierre. This positive and unifying event brought together great influential Quebec personalities who came to celebrate and support the OM’s mission and Quebec’s cultural reputation around the world.
Donations for the Future of Music
The evening’s donations will help support and enhance the OM’s musical mission by letting it continue to serve its community by sharing symphonic music with a growing audience, and by making culture more accessible to families, young musicians, children, and the elderly, with whom the OM works closely. “As Honorary Chair, I would like to personally thank all those who responded this evening and have contributed with their donations and their time to the success of this very important event. It was a very proud moment for all of us at Bombardier to welcome you to our premises.” ― Éric Martel
Leadership and Family Strength
The alliance between the two major Canadian enterprises quite naturally embodies the spirit of family and solidarity that is an important driver for both. Since the essence of any great project or mission, whether musical or business, is primarily rooted in the strength of its team, the OM and Bombardier proudly convey and advocate these values. Éric Martel and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, leaders of large organizations in very different fields, both of which require positive and unifying leaders to rally the troops around promising projects, shared during the event their respective visions on group strength and family values that are critical to the success of orchestras and businesses alike.
Complete Trust
Incidentally in 2019, the OM proudly announced the renewal for life of the contract of its Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Yannick Nézet-Séguin. An open-ended commitment based on mutual trust and human values: “Montréal is my hometown, my home port. It’s where I was born, where I grew up and where I received my musical training. And the Orchestre Métropolitain is the first of my musical families. They have trusted me from the start when I was just 25 years old. The trust was mutual, and our relationship has only grown over the last 20 years. We are now inseparable. I look forward to the coming years at the Orchestre Métropolitain with great enthusiasm for the many projects in store and with great pride for all that has been accomplished to date.” ― Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Distinguished Guests Extend Their Support to the OM
The Sixth Annual OM Benefit Gala was held in the presence of Erik J. Ryan, Chairman of the Board of the Orchestre Métropolitain, Executive Vice-President of Strategy, Marketing and External Relations at SNC-Lavalin, along with the other members of the Honorary committee for this edition formed by the TD Bank Group, with Abe Adham, member of the Board of the Orchestre Métropolitain and Managing Director and Head of Quebec Investment Banking at TD Securities and Jacques Marchand, Honorary Chair of LCI Éducation.
Distinguished guests who took part in the event included Pauline Marois, former Premier of Québec, Valerie Plante, Mayor of Montréal, Simon Brault, Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts, Louise Sicuro, Founder of Culture pour tous and Journées de la culture, Ben Marc Diendéré, Chair of the Conseil des arts de Montréal, Nathalie Maillé, Executive Director of the Conseil des arts de Montréal, Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, and Laurent Beaudoin, who led Bombardier from 1966 to 2003 and who wished to be present at this memorable evening to also mark Bombardier’s 80th anniversary.
Legacy of a Great Entrepreneur
It would have been impossible for Yannick Nézet-Séguin not to mention the incredible contribution of Mr. Beaudoin, who was first CEO and then Chairman of the Board of Bombardier from 1966 to 2015. His entrepreneurial spirit and innovative vision transformed Bombardier from its modest beginnings as a snowmobile manufacturer to a global giant that proudly shines the torch of Quebec ingenuity around the world. “Because you led this flagship company, Bombardier, like a true maestro, Quebec and the entire world will always remember your leadership, your great career, and respect the immense legacy you have left behind for the people of Quebec. You led Bombardier like a great conductor. Therefore, it is an honor for me to present to you my baton that I have signed.” ― Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Music to the Ears!
The OM conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin enthralled the guests with a concert in which Rachmaninoff, Mozart and Debussy charmed and dazzled everyone. “It is with total gratitude that I welcome your commitment,” Yannick Nézet-Séguin told the guests at the event. “I am proud of the Orchestre Métropolitain’s accomplishments in the Montréal community and beyond. The OM is a bold and brilliant orchestra with character on the stage. Its ambitious and inspiring projects provide ample opportunities for dozens of talented artists and craftsmen to shine in front of, and behind the spotlights respectively. Our shared passion guides us, your generosity spurs us on.” This concert was also an opportunity for guests to discover the extent of the talent of young pianist Emmanuel Dugal-Roberts, winner of last year’s OMNI Competition, a musical event created by the OM for young musicians aged 7-17.
Dining with Marie-Fleur St-Pierre
The guests at this memorable evening had the privilege of discovering all the talent of Quebec chef Marie-Fleur St-Pierre, who has established herself as one of the top young chefs that make Montréal a North American culinary destination. The chef, both unique and in command of her exceptional cooking skills, was entrusted with the task of entertaining the many guests with her dishes inspired by the sunny cuisine of Spain.
A Few Words of Thanks
“As Honorary Chair of the Sixth Annual OM Benefit Gala, and on behalf of all our employees, I am very proud to welcome you to our facilities. We receive many customers from all over the world here, but we do not often get an opportunity to throw open our hangar doors to celebrate the artistic talent of Quebec or to bring together such distinguished guests. We are particularly proud to do so this year as we celebrate Bombardier’s 80th anniversary. Thank you for supporting the Orchestre Métropolitain and its musical mission, and for giving wings to this unforgettable event.” ― Éric Martel, President and CEO, Bombardier
“The vitality of a community is measured by the extent of its outpourings of solidarity. I am touched to see that a new edition of the Orchestre Métropolitain Benefit Gala is being organized and is encouraging continued involvement, as well as new memberships. We were able to see how important our cultural organizations are for the mental and emotional health of all. I am very happy and proud that TD supports the OM in its mission of accessibility to symphonic music, a cause that is close to my heart.” ― Abe Adham, Managing Director and Head of Quebec Investment Banking at TD Securities and member of the Board of the Orchestre Métropolitain
“The Orchestre Métropolitain seeks every opportunity to rise higher and carry its aspirations further, with its eyes focused on its mission to promote the accessibility and visibility of Quebec talent. As Chairman of its Board, I feel especially proud to see how the strength of this group has enabled it to put down even more extensive roots in its community. Your generous participation in this 2022 OM Benefit Gala, presented by TD, is a vibrant testimony to this.” ― Erik J. Ryan, Chairman of the Board of the Orchestre Métropolitain and Executive Vice-President of Strategy and Marketing at SNC-Lavalin
“The vision of our artistic director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, always so clear and bold, and recognized the world over, encourages all those who know him to dare dream of new heights. Thanks to you, the OM’s loyal support network, the hope that the OM can continue to meet all the desires that will fill its orchestral heart is alive and well. This Sixth Benefit Gala, with the theme Great Leaders Meet, is a celebration of the eternal flame of the Orchestre Métropolitain.” ― Jean Dupré, President and CEO, Orchestre Métropolitain
About the Orchestre Métropolitain
The Orchestre Métropolitain (OM) is one of Quebec’s key cultural ambassadors. Founded in 1981, the Orchestre continues to grow alongside its artistic director and principal conductor, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, whose career keeps on reaching new heights. In September 2019, the OM announced that Nézet-Séguin had signed on for an exceptional lifetime contract. This special relationship resonates throughout the community, with 50 concerts performed annually at the Maison symphonique and across the city, thanks to the Conseil des arts de Montréal Touring Program. The OM also puts on webcast and open-air concerts. Driven by excellence, the ensemble is known for its bold presence, authenticity, and community engagement. Proud to have expanded its educational initiatives, the OM also regularly collaborates with other high-calibre cultural organizations in Quebec, including serving as the Opéra de Montréal’s principal orchestra. Following the success of its 2017 European tour, the OM and Yannick Nézet-Séguin travelled to the US in November 2019 with soprano Joyce DiDonato, winning over audiences in Chicago, Ann Arbor, New York, and Philadelphia. The winner of multiple national awards, the OM has recorded over 20 performances with the Canadian ATMA Classique label and collaborated with Deutsche Grammophon to release two albums with renowned singers Rolando Villazón and Ildar Abdrazakov.
More recently, the Orchestre performed all nine Beethoven symphonies for its Summer of Beethoven webcast series available exclusively on DG Stage. This initiative made the OM one of the first orchestras to come together again after the COVID-19 crisis forced ensembles across the globe to go on hiatus. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Orchestre Métropolitain has rolled out numerous digital initiatives, which has helped it stay connected with audience members during this unprecedented time.
About Bombardier
Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, focused on designing, manufacturing and servicing the world's most exceptional business jets. Bombardier’s Challenger and Global aircraft families are renowned for their cutting-edge innovation, cabin design, performance and reliability. Bombardier has a worldwide fleet of approximately 5,000 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals. Bombardier aircraft are also trusted around the world in special-mission roles.
Headquartered in Montréal, Québec, Bombardier operates aerostructure, assembly and completion facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The company’s robust customer support network includes facilities in strategic locations in the United States and Canada, as well as in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the UAE, Singapore, China and an Australian facility opening in 2022.
For corporate news and information, including Bombardier’s Environmental, Social and Governance report, visit bombardier.com. Learn more about Bombardier’s industry-leading products and customer service network at businessaircraft.bombardier.com. Follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.
Bombardier, Global and Global 7500 are registered and unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Thanks
This evening marks a historic moment, finally together to celebrate! An event like this one is made possible with help from a large family. The Orchestre Métropolitain would like to thank Bombardier, TD, the honorary committee, its conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, its musicians, the Board of Directors, all dedicated partners, and its administrative team. Without you, we would not be here tonight.
Information: Orchestre Métropolitain
The next Orchestre Métropolitain Benefit Gala will be presented on April 19, 2023.
Media contacts:
Orchestre Métropolitain: Isabelle Brien, Public Relations Manager
514-293-1683 – ibrien@orchestremetropolitain.com
Bombardier: Tinca S. Prouvost, Communications
514-240-0356 – tinca.stokojnik.prouvost@aero.bombardier.com
A selection of photos from the event can be downloaded here.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f7144c53-9b5b-4951-b46e-4b426227d58b
