French Pianist Hélène Grimaud

The Life of a Classical Musician with a Passion for Wolves

Dec 22, 2007

French pianist Hélène Grimaud may be known for her bold, powerful style, but she is also known for her love of wolves.

With a powerful yet effortless-sounding tone, Hélène Grimaud is a pianist who commands attention. In addition to recording several albums, she has performed with the classical music powerhouses of the world: the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic and the Russian National Orchestra. She currently enjoys a top-notch career in the classical music world.

Early Start to Classical Career

Her resume is certainly impressive. Born in Aix-en-Provence in 1969, Grimaud was enrolled at the Paris Conservatory by the time she was 13. At the age of 15, she recorded her first album, a performance of Rachmaninoff's Sonata No. 2 and Etudes-Tableaux, Op. 33. She also studied with Gyorgy Sandor and Leon Fleisher.

Further Interests: Love of Music, Love of Wolves

But while many pianists are known simply for their musical skills, Hélène Grimaud has a passion that coincides with her love of music. Not only is Grimaud a world-famous pianist, but she is also the founder of the Wolf Conservation Center, based in Salem, New York.

Opened in 1999, this center not only houses 17 wolves, but also educates the public, attempting to persuade its 20,000 annual visitors that wolves are not the terrible creatures that stories make them out to be (think The Three Little Pigs or Little Red Riding Hood).

As part of the project, 4 wolves have been socialized as "ambassador wolves." The others have been kept sheltered from human contact in order to be able restore them to their natural habitat.

In 2003, she published a memoir of her dual interest in music and wolves entitled Variations Sauvages. Her book is also available in English under the title Wild Harmonies.

The reason most musicians aren't known for causes other than their music becomes clear when looking at Grimaud's life: there is simply not enough time for both. Grimaud's music career was put on hold during the construction and establishment of the wolf center. By 2003, however, she was back performing, although her career took another hiatus due to illness in 2005.

Latest Recording: Emperor Concerto

However, Hélène Grimaud has returned to performance in full force, having released her latest album on Oct. 9, 2007. This recording, released by Deutsche Grammophon, features Beethoven's Concerto No. 5, more affectionately known as the Emperor Concerto. She performs with the Staatskapelle Dresden, conducted by young Vladimir Jurowski (who also just became the London Philharmonic Orchestra's principal conductor).

Sources

Oestreich, James. "A Pianist Harmonizes with Wolves." Nov. 5, 2006. New York Times.

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