Guillaume Villeneuve (violin) – Opus Discovery of the Year Prize

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Violinist Guillaume Villeneuve does not see his instrument as a tool with which to produce sound, but rather emotion. Aiming to connect with his audience at any opportunity, Villeneuve seeks to tell the stories behind the music he plays. “Music is about taking risks,” he said. Thus far, these risks have paid off for the up-and-coming artist.

Winning Discovery of the Year category at this year’s Opus Prize ceremony was well deserved after his immense success in the 2022-23 season. Villeneuve said the prize has been “very important” for his career development, and is especially poignant considering “many, many musicians” he admires have won it previously.

The criteria for the prize is a demonstration of significant personal growth over the previous Opus season. Among last year’s highlights for Villeneuve were a tour of France with his string quartet (Cobalt Quartet), and performance at Bon Pasteur, for which he had complete creative freedom in choosing the program.

Villeneuve has a particular love for Baroque music. His passion for music of the 17th century—particularly the works of J.S Bach—allows him to create an emotional connection with audiences and repertoire alike. Villeneuve perceives Baroque ornamentation as more than melodic decoration. For him, it is a way to make each performance unique and to inspire those for whom he plays.

Continuing to chase musical freedom is a long-term goal of this violinist, and the Opus Prize will help him toward this goal. According to Villeneuve, some of the most musically free moments include “being the bridge between the conductor and the orchestra while sitting as concertmaster, putting the conductor’s ideas into action,” and “continuing to show how connection and emotion is what makes us human.”

In the coming year, Villeneuve looks forward to recording an album with the Cobalt Quartet featuring quartets by female composers across three centuries, alongside continuing to perform, record, and learn from his colleagues. He will also be welcoming his second child, and is happily anticipating spending time with his family.