With a deep belief in the power of collaborative music making to create transformational experiences for musicians and audiences alike, Guillaume Pirard has become a highly respected artist and educator of his generation. Since making his debut with the Orlando Philharmonic, Mr.Pirard has conducted the New York University and Cornell University Orchestras, Ensemble X, Opus Ithaca, the Philharmonic of Moravia, the Metamorphosis Chamber Orchestra, the Lviv Philharmonic, the Mannes School of Music Opera and the Mannes Orchestra. He served as Assistant Conductor for the Buffalo Philharmonic and Ensemble 21.
 

As co-concertmaster and founding member of The Knights, Mr. Pirard toured extensively throughout theUnited States and Europe with performances at the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Muzikverein in Vienna, and major festival appearances at Tanglewood, Ravinia, Caramoor, Skaneateles, the Festival-de-Paques in Aix-en-Provence and the Salzburg Festspiele. He has recorded with the ensemble on SONY Classical and Warner Music. His performance of Steve Reich’s Duet for two violins and strings was chosen as one of NPR’s “Songs We Love”.

 

Following his interest in performance practices, Guillaume studied in Den Haag and Brussels with some of the masters of the romantic, classical and baroque styles such as Vera Beths, Mira Glodeanu and Anner Bylsma. He has played in various period ensembles and chamber music series in Europe and the United States, such as the Helicon Foundation, the Smithsonian Chamber Players, the Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia, the Staunton Festival, Les Muffatti and the Context series at Rice University. Mr. Pirard has also performed with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, A Far Cry, the Sejong Soloists and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie.
 

Born in Belgium, Mr. Pirard studied at the Brussels Royal Conservatory of Music, receiving a First Prize in violin performance at the age of 16. He continued his studies at the Juilliard School with Hyo Kang and Dorothy Delay. He earned a Masters Degree in Orchestral Conducting from the New School, under the tutelage of David Hayes. Mr. Pirard has served on the faculty at New York University, San Diego State University, and Cornell University. He has been appointed Visiting Professor of Violin at Ithaca College for the 2023-24 academic year.