A highly committed performer, Jean-Claude’s artistic integrity has led him to work closely with two internationally acclaimed Scottish institutions: the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Scottish Ballet, where he served as Associate Conductor and Chief Conductor, respectively.

With the RSNO, his tenure was defined by the strength of his rapport with the musicians and the high artistic standard he maintained across a wide spectrum of programs—from subscription concerts to outreach initiatives and national broadcasts. Following one such performance, The Herald wrote:

“What a stonker of a concert the RSNO and Jean-Claude Picard turned out on Saturday. It took me back to square one; right back to where I started with my consuming passion for live music. You know something? On the rare occasions when you get a conductor and an orchestra locked in unity with a fabulous programme, and everybody delivering the goods at white heat, there is no sensation on God’s, or anyone else’s, earth quite like it. The whole experience was a life force.”

At Scottish Ballet, Jean-Claude spearheaded a period of artistic growth with the Company’s orchestra. His successful implementation of a new orchestral sound and technique significantly raised the ensemble’s standard. In parallel, his dedication to fully supporting the dancers led to a heightened degree of precision between music and movement in performance. These achievements were recognized by the Company, peers, critics, and audiences for their excellence, positively contributing to the artistic standards of the organization and making a constructive impact within the Scottish artistic landscape and beyond. Following a performance of The Scandal at Mayerling, The Edinburgh Guide noted:

“Every single step, especially en pointe, is intricately placed in perfect precision to each note of the lush, lyrical score by Franz Liszt. Jean-Claude Picard conducts the superb Scottish Ballet Orchestra with vivacious tempo and flowing fluidity.”

Known for his natural ability to provide thorough support to soloists, Jean-Claude is a frequent collaborator of distinguished artists. He has worked with Nicola Benedetti, Xavier de Maistre, Vilde Frang, Paul Merkelo, Hyunah Yu Brody, Nicky Spence, André Laplante, Jacques Zoon, and Boris Giltburg, among others—appreciated for his flexibility and musical empathy.

In his native Canada, Jean-Claude served as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières. Additionally, he guest conducts orchestras such as the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Victoria Symphony, Symphony Nova Scotia, Calgary Opera, Orchestre symphonique de Québec, I Musici, Montreal Bach Festival Orchestra, and the Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra.

Appointed to the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jean-Claude demonstrated unwavering dedication, contributing to the stability and continuity of the orchestra and the community by maintaining regular seasons despite unprecedented challenges. In recognition of this leadership and the 2020-2021 season’s artistic calibre, the organization received a nomination for an Opus Prize. He also contributed significantly to the orchestra’s artistic profile through thoughtful programming, acclaimed outreach activities, and a strong commitment to Canadian composers—founding the position of Composer in Residence and launching a yearly National Call for Scores. Additionally, he gave a voice to all orchestra musicians through the inauguration of artistic committees. Though he stepped down in 2021, Jean-Claude remained involved as Principal Guest Conductor until 2023. Le Nouvelliste, reviewing his inaugural concert with the orchestra, wrote:

“You never get a second chance to make a good first impression, and Maestro Jean-Claude Picard has magnificently seized his by undoubtedly conquering the Trois-Rivières public. The audience gave a heartfelt standing ovation at the end of each of the two parts of this exciting concert, which marked Picard’s arrival at the helm of a vibrant and dashing OSTR in spectacular fashion.”

In Europe, Jean-Claude has appeared with ensembles such as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música, Manchester Camerata, Leipzig Symphony Orchestra, and the Geneva Chamber Orchestra, among others. He has also enjoyed two successful visits to the Edinburgh International Festival with Scottish Ballet. His commercial recordings and worldwide streams with the RSNO and Scottish Ballet, featuring works such as Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, have been warmly received.

Recent and upcoming highlights include performances with Cape Symphony (USA), Symphony Nova Scotia, Scottish Ballet, Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Victoria Symphony, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Solistas de América, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, among others.

Jean-Claude is equally at home in contemporary music, having commissioned, premiered, or recorded works by Canadian and British composers such as Dr. Kelly-Marie Murphy, Nicolas Gilbert, Dinuk Wijeratne, Ned Bigham, Peter Salem, Rory Boyle, and Oliver Searle.

Before fully dedicating himself to conducting, Jean-Claude was a sought-after flutist, performing with renowned orchestras such as the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra (Norway), Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestre de Chambre de Genève, Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, and Les Violons du Roy. It allowed him to acquire a wealth of experience as an orchestral musician, performing in world-renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York and the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, among others.

He holds several Master’s degrees from the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Genève (Haute École de Musique) where he studied conducting with Laurent Gay and flute with Michel Bellavance and Jacques Zoon. Additionally, he earned degrees from the Conservatoire de Musique du Québec à Montréal, studying flute with Carolyn Christie and Marie-Andrée Benny. He was also awarded a Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Scholarship from Maestro Kurt Masur, enabling him to pursue private studies with the revered conductor.

Jean-Claude is always eager to share his knowledge through teaching. He has served as a Visiting Artist–Guest Lecturer in Conducting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Additionally, Jean-Claude has taught flute at the Geneva Conservatory of Music. He is an appreciated adjudicator and panelist, having worked with institutions in Scotland and Switzerland, and more recently with the Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors and the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.