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Hétu, Pierre
Pierre Hétu, conductor (b at Montréal 22 Apr 1936; d there 5 Dec 1998). After his music studies in Montréal at the CONSERVATOIRE DE MUSIQUE DU QUÉBEC and at the Université de Montréal, he studied conducting in Paris, Vienna, Siena, Italy, and Düsseldorf, Germany, and with Charles Munch at the Tanglewood Festival. In 1961 he won first prize in the International Competition for Young Conductors in Besançon, France.
Hétu was assistant conductor of the MONTREAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (1963-68), music director in Kalamazoo, Michigan (1968-72), associate conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (1970-73) and music director of the EDMONTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (1973-80). He was a frequent guest conductor with major Canadian orchestras and opera houses, CBC radio and television, and US orchestras.
Hétu conducted in France, Belgium and Switzerland, and in 1976 he led the JEUNESSES MUSICALES DU CANADA World Orchestra in the opening concert and ceremonies of the Montréal Olympics. His conducting of Strauss's Salomé with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra brought him a CANADIAN MUSIC COUNCIL Award in 1977. He began teaching conducting at the University of Toronto in 1991.
