Born in 1980, Peruvian pianist, tenor and conductor Enrique
Bernardo is following a very interesting path. As a pianist,
Mr. Bernardo is the winner of the Steinway Concert Society
of Western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Concert Society and
the Third Prize (special award) at the Varna International
Piano Festival and Competition in Bulgaria. Since his arrival
to the United States, he has won awards in competitions such
as the Duquesne Concerto Competition, Southeastern
Community College Piano Competition, the SCMTNA Piano
Competition, and the American Federation of Musicians for
Charleston, South Carolina. He holds degrees from Carnegie
Mellon, Duquesne University, and College of Charleston. As
a pianist, highlighted performances include a debut recital at
St. James at Piccadilly in London, England, several solo
recitals throughout South Carolina including the Piccolo
Spoleto Festival. Mr. Bernardo has performed with the
National Symphony Orchestra of Peru, the College of
Charleston Chamber Orchestra, and the AUO "All University
Orchestra" of Carnegie Mellon University.
2007 marks an important year for Mr. Bernardo since he
debuts with Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh as Don Curzio in
the production of Marriage of Figaro as well as with I Solisti
di Brevard in the performance of the Cantata 140 by J.S.
Bach during the Brevard Music Festival. It is from this
performance that he was hailed by the Classical Voice of
North Carolina as a tenor with “a clear, open, and unforced
style”. He has taken part in the productions of Lost in the
Stars of Kurt Weill and Die Fledermaus, both with Opera
Theatre of Pittsburgh. He has performed the roles of Don
Basilio and Don Curzio with the Duquesne University Opera,
as well as one of the tenor soloists for the Beethoven Choral
Fantasy with the Duquesne University Orchestra. 2008 found
Mr. Bernardo doing Don Ottavio from Don Giovanni by
Mozart with Duquesne Opera as well as the obscure role of
Mavra in the opera Mavra by Igor Stravinsky. He has sung in
the production of Aida with Pittsburgh Opera as part of the
Chorus. During the summer of 2009 he performed the role of
Nemorino with Undercroft Opera, as well as the tenor soloist
with the Latin-American Choir of Pittsburgh in “La Misa
Criolla” by Ariel Ramirez. He will be joining Pittsburgh
Opera this season in Evgeny Oneguin and Faltaff as part of
the opera chorus. During the season 2008-09 Mr. Bernardo
has been performing with Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh in:
Djamileh by Bizet (Understudy and Rehearsal pianist), Die
Fledermaus by Strauss (Chorus), Porgy and Bess by
Gershwin (Rehearsal pianist), and Gianni Schicchi (Rehearsal
pianist). With Pittsburgh Opera he has taken part of the
chorus in the contemporary opera Grapes of Wrath by
American composer Ricky Ian Gordon.
Mr. Bernardo counts as his most important teachers: Enrique
Graf and David Allen Wehr in piano; voice with Clifford
Billions, Guenko Guechev, Javier Bernardo, and Raymond
Very; and conducting with Grammy winner and former
conductor of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, Robert
Page.
He is currently the pianist and music director of Hebron
Presbyterian Church, as well as the Latin American Choir of
Pittsburgh, and is on the faculty of the Carnegie Mellon Pre-
College program, and the Carnegie Mellon Preparatory Music
School. He has participated in master classes with pianist Earl
Wild, Jorge Luis Prats, Ilana Vered, Ann Schein, Marina
Lomazov, Douglas Weeks, Craig Nies and Alberto
Portugueis. He has worked with conductors such as Julius
Rudel and Anthony Walker. He has attended the Alberto
Portugueis Master Classes sponsored by Steinway and Sons
in London, England; the Aspen Music Festival, the Varna
International Piano Festival, and the Brevard Music Festival.