In line with relations between the Philippines and Spain, the National Commission on Culture And Ats (NCCA) and Independent Philippine Art Ventures Inc. (Ipav) in cooperation with Alliance Francaise and Fairmont Hotel, proudly presents “Spanish Guitar Night” featuring Francisco Bernier, one of the world’s top classical guitarists in a one-night only concert at the Ayala Museum Lobby on Aug. 18 at 7:30 pm.
Special guest for the Manila concert is Adrik Cristobal, noted Filipino classic guitarist who is a Certificate of Music Graduate from the University of the Philippines College of Music under Lester Demetillo. He was a member of the UP Guitar Orchestra from 2010-2014 and performed with them around the Philippines and Bangkok. He also attended master classes with world renowned guitarists such as Shin-ichi Fukuda, Marco Tamayo, Aniello Desiderio, Judicaël Perroy and many others.
He is currently starting his studies at the Conservatorio Manuel Castillo de Sevilla with Prof. Francisco Bernier. And it is with great excitement that Adrik will be performing with his mentor for this concert.
A native of Seville, Spain, Francisco Bernier has forged a successful and prize-winning career throughout the years. His achievements led him to perform in more than 37 countries around the globe, in prestigious venues such as the Salle Cortot and the Mogador Theatre in Paris, the Salle Corum in Montpellier, the Grand Theatre in Bordeaux, Oji Hall in Tokyo, the Kyoto Concert Hall, the Hermitage Museum of Saint Petersburg, Teatro Maestranza in Seville, Teatro Comunale in Alessandria, Merkin Hall in New York, Hall of the O.E.A (Organization of American States) in Washington D.C., and the Zellerbach Hall in San Francisco, to name a few.
Bernier has received more than twenty international prizes, including the “Michele Pittaluga” Competition. He has also performed with many orchestras, such as the Camerata of Saint Petersburg, the Manchester Symphony Orchestra, the Mediterranean Symphonic Orchestra, the Symphonic Orchestra of Vallés, the Symphonic Orchestra of Huelva and the Berkeley Symphony of San Francisco conducted by Kent Nagano.
He began his musical studies at the Conservatorio Superior de Música in Seville and then moved to France to continue his musical studies at the Ecole Normale Alfred Cortot in Paris under the direction of Maestro Alberto Ponce. He received his Superior Diploma of Execution and Concert Performer with distinction by means of a unanimous decision by the jury.
From 1998 to 2002, Francisco continued his excellent education at the Hochschule für Musik of Cologne (Germany), at the Université du Québec in Montréal (Canada), and at Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris (France).
He also attended master classes with Alvaro Pierri, Roland Dyens, Leo Brouwer, David Russel, José Tomas, Oscar Ghiglia and received guidance from composers, orchestra conductors and musicians from other disciplines.
Francisco Bernier has recorded several albums, the first of them under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Spanish-Inaem and for prestigious labels like Mandala-Harmonia Mundi and Déclic- Radio France.
In September of 2009, Francisco successfully recorded in Canada with Naxos.
His interest in contemporary music has led him to remain in contact with great composers such as Luis de Pablo, José M. Sánchez Verdú, Cesar Camarero, and José Manuel López among others.
He is also a member of the Zahir Ensemble. In addition, Francisco Bernier is a laureate of various foundations, such as the Meyer Foundation, Beracasa and BNP-Paribas (France), La Caixa Foundation (Spain) and the Emma Contestabile Foundation (Italy).
In 2014, he was included in the top list of Spanish artists performing abroad with the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Aecid). Francisco currently teaches at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Seville. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Seville Guitar Festival and is president and founder of Contrastes Records (London).
He has been invited by many Guitar Societies around the States and Canada like American Guitar Society, Denver Guitar Society, San Francisco Guitar Society, Toronto Guitar Society, Brantford Guitar Society, etc.
Francisco teaches now at Seville Higher Conservatory of Music and in the University of Seville. He is also the Artistic Director of the Seville International Guitar Competition and Festival.
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