Biography

Known as an insightful interpreter of the symphonic repertoire, David Bernard is acclaimed by New York Critics as a "sound conductor" whose "vast knowledge" and "instinctive musicality" "adds depth" to important masterworks while "exuding elasticity and elegance" and delivering "magnificent performances".    In addition to founding the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony in 1999, Maestro Bernard has been music director of the Lawyers’ Orchestra since 2001 and was assistant conductor of both the Stamford Symphony (CT) and the Jacksonville Symphony (FL).


Maestro Bernard's unique approach to making music stresses clarity of expression--illuminating the work for the audience through balance, articulation, emphasis and phrasing. Highlights of Maestro Bernard’s recent conducting appearances include all nine Beethoven Symphonies, Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, all four Brahms Symphonies,  Dvorak Symphonies 7, 8 & 9, Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis, Mendelssohn Symphonies 1, 3 & 4, Mozart Requiem, Mozart Symphonies 1, 25, 28, 33, 40 & 41, Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition, Saint Saens Symphony No. 3 ("Organ"), Schubert Symphonies 8 and 9, Schumann Symphonies 2 & 4, Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, Sibelius Symphony No. 2, Stravinsky Suites from Pulcinella and Firebird  (1919), Tchaikovsky "The Nutcracker" and Symphonies 4 & 5, as well as world premieres of works by Bruce Adolphe and John Mackey.  Maestro Bernard has collaborated with notable soloists, including Sandra Wolf-Meei Cameron, Catherine Cho, Bart Feller, Judith Ingolfsson, Christina Jennings, Jessica Lee, Soyeon Lee, Jon Manasse,  Todd Phillips and James Archie Worley.  He has also appeared in the dual role of conductor and keyboard soloist in two Bach concertos--the Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 and the keyboard concerto in f minor, BWV 1056, and has frequently led orchestral performances from the harpsichord continuo.  In October 2007, Maestro Bernard led the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony in a performance of Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf," narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. 


Maestro Bernard has conducted performances at Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall and Symphony Space.  His performances have been broadcast on WQXR and WNYC, and he was featured in The Juilliard Journal, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News and The New York Times.

Maestro Bernard has written his own completion of Mozart's Requiem, K.626, which was performed in an acclaimed performance at Avery Fisher Hall with the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony and the New Amsterdam Singers.   He has also prepared a new edition of Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 1, his own version of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" and has written a Music Theory textbook, "The Structural Principles of Music".   For the past four years, Maestro Bernard has given a series of lectures on musicology, music history and musicianship--the most recent being "Musicianship in Performance", an exploration of the decisions musicians make when creating performances.

David Bernard and Sergiu CelibidacheMaestro Bernard has studied at The Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, the Tanglewood Music Center and Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Maestro Bernard led several acclaimed performances with the Stony Brook Symphony, including Schumann 1st Symphony, Shostakovich 6th Symphony, and a rare performance of Ives' 4th Symphony where he led the orchestra in partnership with Arthur Weisberg, the noted conductor of 20th century music.

Maestro Bernard is an elected member of the Alumni Council of The Curtis Institute of Music and is a Trustee of the InterSchool Orchestras of New York.