Françoys Bernier facts for kids

Françoys Joseph Arthur Maurice Bernier (born July 12, 1927 – died February 3, 1993) was a talented Canadian musician. He was a pianist, a conductor (someone who leads an orchestra), a radio producer, and a teacher. He also helped manage arts organizations.

Bernier led the music for the Montreal Festivals from 1956 to 1960. He was also a busy conductor and producer for CBC Radio in the 1950s and early 1960s. Later, he became the General Director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec (Quebec Symphony Orchestra) from 1960 to 1966, and then its Music Director until 1968. He taught conducting at several universities, and was the first director of the Music Department at the University of Ottawa.

Early Life and Music Education

Françoys Bernier grew up in Quebec City in a family full of musicians. His father, Maurice Bernier, was a cellist and music critic. His brother, Pierre Bernier, and sister, Gabrielle Bernier, were also musicians. His aunt and uncle were also involved in music.

His very first music lessons were with his grandfather, Joseph-Arthur Bernier, who was a keyboard player and composer.

Bernier went to the Séminaire de Québec for his regular schooling and also studied music there from 1939 to 1947. He continued his music studies at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec from 1945 to 1950. There, he learned from many great teachers like Françoise Aubut and Henri Gagnon. He also studied at Université Laval in 1949–1950. Later, he received special grants from the Canada Council to study music analysis and conducting with famous conductors Sergiu Celibidache and Hermann Scherchen in Europe during 1962–1963.

A Career in Music and Broadcasting

In 1950, Bernier started teaching at College Mathieu in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. He stayed there for more than two years. During this time, he also became the first program director for the local radio station CFRG when it opened in June 1952.

In 1953, he moved to Montreal to work for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). He produced music programs for the French-language side of the CBC. He was very active with the CBC Radio show Premières in his first year. In 1954, he produced shows for CBC Television like Concerts pour la jeunesse and L'Heure du concert. He also produced many live classical music performances, including famous operas like Charles Gounod's Faust and Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

Leading Orchestras

From 1956 to 1960, Bernier was the music director for the Montreal Festivals. After that, he became the general director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec (OSQ) in 1960. He led the orchestra in the first-ever performances of new Canadian pieces, such as Roger Matton's Mouvement symphonique no. 1 in 1960 and Serge Garant's Ouranos in 1963.

In 1966, he became the OSQ's main conductor, taking over from Wilfrid Pelletier. He held this position for two years. During this time, he strongly supported new music by Canadian and French composers, especially those by Olivier Messiaen. He conducted the first performance of Matton's Te Deum with the OSQ in 1967. He also conducted this piece in Europe in 1969. Bernier was also a guest conductor with several French orchestras.

Teaching and Arts Administration

From 1959 to 1964, Bernier taught conducting and directed the university choir at Université Laval. At the same time, he was the assistant director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec from 1960 to 1968.

From 1973 to 1975, he served as the President of the Canadian Music Council. He was also on the board of directors for the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada. In 1969, he was chosen as the first director of the Music Department at the University of Ottawa, a role he kept until 1976. He continued to teach at the University of Ottawa until 1992.

In 1977, he started le Domaine Forget, which is a summer arts festival and school for music, dance, and theatre. He was the general and artistic director of this school until he passed away in Quebec City in 1993, at the age of 65.

Awards and Recognition

Françoys Bernier received several awards for his contributions to music.

• In 1992, he was given the François Samson Prize.
• He also received an award from the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec in the same year.
• In 1993, after his death, he was named a Chevalier of the National Order of Quebec. This is a very high honour in Quebec.
• The University of Ottawa created a scholarship in his name to help music students.
• In 1996, Le Domaine Forget built a new concert hall and named it in his honour.