Born in 1980, Peruvian pianist, tenor and conductor Enrique
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. He started playing the piano
at the age of ten and was self-taught until the age of fifteen. Since
his arrival to the United States, he has won awards in
competitions such as the 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. Since then, 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 finds Mr. Bernardo doing Don Ottavio from Don Giovanni
by Mozart with Duquesne Opera as well as the obscure rol of
Mavra in the opera Mavra by Igor Stravinsky. He has sang in the
production of Aida with Pittsburgh Opera as part of the Chorus.
2008-09 season will find Mr. Bernardo as La Potesta in La Finta
Gardiniera by Mozart with Duquesne Opera. He will be
performing with Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh in: Djamileh by
Bizet (vocal coach and chorus), Die Fledermaus by Strauss
(chorus), Porgy and Bess by Gershwin (in this production he'll be
one of the vocal coaches), and Gianni Schichi. With Pittsburgh
Opera he'll be 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: David Allen
Wehr and Enrique Graf in piano; voice with Guenko Guechev,
Xiu Ru, Javier Bernardo, and Raymond Very; and conducting
with Grammy winner and former conductor of the Mendelsohn
Choir of Pittsburgh, Robert Page.
Mr. Bernardo is currently the Music Director of the Latin
American Choir of Pittsburgh. He has been in this position for
four seasons. He is currently the pianist and music director of
Hebron Presbyterian Church, 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.