Jean-Claude obtained enthusiastic reviews for conducting Orff’s Carmina Burana with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in April 2024:

“You don’t get the impression that you’re just watching a dance event. Often, even, the eyes are drawn offstage: the impressive conductor Jean-Claude Picard delivers a captivating performance. The choirs on both sides of Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier elevate the already monumental music, the soloists perform flawlessly. The intensity of the encounter between the three ensembles is undeniable.” – Sors-tu?

“Canadian conductor Jean-Claude Picard gives it his all in this rendition of Carmina Burana. The result of the collaboration between the expressionist choreography, the well-directed orchestra, the sublime chorus and solo singers, and a simple but effective set has brought the audience an hour-long work of choral and orchestral genius. The voices of Aline Kutan, Dominique Côté and the young Filipino-Canadian tenor Mishael Eusebio are remarkable.” – Arts et Culture

Following Jean-Claude’s last concert at the helm of the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières,  Le Nouvelliste wrote, in reaction to their interpretation of Nielsen’s Symphony No. 2:

“Under the spirited direction of Jean-Claude Picard, the OSTR navigated into the human soul with fervor and ease. The conductor seemed to take a keen pleasure in making the orchestra disappear at the end of some chapters in pianissimos that betrayed only but the most imperceptible vibrations in the air. A few moments later, to mark the accents of anger intended by Nielsen, the maestro gave the impression that his feet were losing contact with the ground. The orchestra reciprocated straight away.” – March 2023

Following Jean-Claude’s second visit to the Orchestre symphonique de Québec last December 2020, “Le Soleil” wrote: “Jean-Claude Picard…combines all the essential qualities of a conductor: precision of gesture, analytical intelligence and eloquence of expression. In the first movement [Nielsen’s Symphony No. 2], Picard takes the music head-on with undeniable commitment from start to finish… In slow movements he shows remarkable relaxation and a real sense of listening. [In the Strauss Oboe Concerto, Picard] proves to be a high-class accompanist managing the many subtle tempo nuances in Strauss’ score sensitively. “

Jean-Claude made his debut at the Festival Bach Montréal in November 2020. He conducted the Orchestre du Festival in a program entirely devoted to the timeless musical genius of the famous German composer. Reviewing the concert, Le Devoir wrote: “The new conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières, Jean-Claude Picard, also conducted the 1st Orchestral Suite and proved that the Festival was right to have dared to invite non-specialists in Baroque music.”

Scottish Ballet receives great critical acclaim at the Edinburgh International Festival, performing the world premiere of “The Crucible”. This was Jean-Claude’s official debut as the Company’s new Chief Conductor.

★★★★★ “A triumph for the company”, The Herald
★★★★★ The Scotsman
★★★★★ The List
★★★★★ The Stage
★★★★ The Guardian