Agnès Grossmann

Grossmann, Agnès

Agnès Grossmann, orchestra and choir conductor (b at Vienna 24 Apr 1944). After studies in piano performance at the Vienna Academy (1968), Grossmann embarked on a career as a soloist in Europe and Japan. In 1974, she undertook studies in choral and orchestral conducting and became assistant conductor of the Vienna Youth Choir in 1979, then artistic director of the choir of the Vienna Singing Academy (1983-86).

Invited to teach at the University of Ottawa in 1981, she developed a program there in ear training, and directed the choir and orchestra. Grossmann was the first music director (1986) of the 'Orchestre Metropolitain Du Grand Montreal, and its artistic director from 1988 to 1995. She held the same position with the Wiener Singakademie (1983-86), the Chamber Players of Toronto (1984-90) and the Orford Arts Centre (1989-95).

Grossmann guest-conducts numerous orchestras both in Canada (Toronto Symphony, National Arts Centre, Calgary Philharmonic) Europe (Vienna Chamber Orchestra) and Japan (Osaka Philharmonic).

In 1992, the Austrian government recognized her outstanding artistic achievements by awarding her the Silver Cross.

After being the artistic director of the Vienna Boys' Choir (1996-98), she returned to Quebec and the international conducting circuit, making her debut with the Orchestre Symphonique De Montreal in December 1999. She also resumed the position of artistic head of the Orford Arts Centre 1999-2004.