Pianist Hélène Grimaud preserves the future of wolves
In 1991 near her home in northern Florida, French pianist Hélène Grimaud took a friend’s dog for a late-night walk. But when the dog caught sight of a creature skulking in the darkness, it dashed to the bushes.
Grimaud recognized the creature as a tense and furtive wolf. As she approached, the wolf lay on her side for Grimaud to pet her.
“I felt a shooting spark, a shock, which ran through my entire body,” Grimaud said. “The single point of contact radiated throughout my arm and chest and filled me with gentleness.”
Grimaud was flattered by that trust from an animal most often known simply as a predator, so she turned the event into a learning experience. In an interview with The New York Times, Grimaud explained that wolves are an essential part of the food chain, and they’re captivating creatures besides.
“If you work to save large predators, you save every animal,” she said.
Grimaud founded the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY and has worked to nurture and advocate for wolves since the center opened in 1999. She is performing two benefit concerts to support the center on this tour.
Hélène Grimaud appears in Kalamazoo at Chenery Auditorium on April 16 at 8 PM. You can purchase tickets online or by calling the Miller Auditorium Box Office at (269) 387-2300. |
