Alain Bernaud
b. 1932
French
Biography
Born on March 8th 1932 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Alain Bernaud was destined for a life in music, having a father who played both violin and viola professionally and a mother who played the piano to a very high standard. In 1938, the family moved to Paris and Bernaud began his musical studies, learning piano and music theory with Marie-Louise Boelmann. He attended the Conservatoire de Paris and studied under Maurice Ravel, Maurice Delage, Déodat Séverac, Florent Schmitt, Paul Ladmirault, Émile Vuillermoz, Désiré Inghelbrecht, Ricardo Viñes and Tristan Klingsor.
His talent for composition saw substantial recognition in 1955 when he won second prize in the Rome Composition Competition and then the First Grand Prize at the same competition in 1957. His compositions range from chamber works to works for symphony orchestra. He has also composed works for French television shows and films. He was appointed the professor of music theory for instrumentalists at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Paris in 1963 and professor of harmony in 1971. He retired from these positions in 1999 and now lives in North Brittany, from where he continues to compose and revise some of his earlier works.
His talent for composition saw substantial recognition in 1955 when he won second prize in the Rome Composition Competition and then the First Grand Prize at the same competition in 1957. His compositions range from chamber works to works for symphony orchestra. He has also composed works for French television shows and films. He was appointed the professor of music theory for instrumentalists at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Paris in 1963 and professor of harmony in 1971. He retired from these positions in 1999 and now lives in North Brittany, from where he continues to compose and revise some of his earlier works.