Download Maxim Bernard, piano Maxim Bernard discovered his passion at the

Maxim Bernard, piano
Maxim Bernard discovered his passion at the age of 13. His development has been
phenomenal; by age 18 he was invited to perform Beethoven’s magnificent Fourth
Piano Concerto with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra!
In 2004, he met the legendary pianist Menahem Pressler at the Orford Arts Centre and
the chemistry between them was immediate. After hearing Maxim play, Pressler
declared “I believe in your future!” A few months later, Maxim was on his way to the
University of Indiana to study with his new mentor, where he earned both his Master’s
and Doctoral degrees in Piano Performance. He developed his unique style, and music
has become for him a spiritual experience. His sensitivity, his personal touch, and the
contagious spontaneity he brings to his interpretations combine to make him an
exceptional pianist.
He has been a prize winner at the CBC Young Artists Competition, the Indianapolis
Matinee Musicale Competition and at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Concerto Competition. In 2006, his career was launched after he won the prestigious
International Stepping Stone of the Canadian Music Competition.
He taught for five years at Indiana University and his qualifications led him to serve on
juries of many music competitions throughout Canada.
Maxim Bernard is a polyvalent musician who adores challenges. That is probably why
conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin asked him to learn Ginastera’s challenging Second
Piano Concerto in order to perform the Canadian premiere of the work with the
Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal. The
critic Claude Gingras from La Presse wrote: “The pianist was entirely up to the onerous
task, both in power and in introspection. The conductor and orchestra were in perfect
synchronisation with him and the spectacular result inspired a long and enthusiastic
ovation from the hall.”
He looks forward to his debut in Brussels in 2016 where he will perform a recital in the
great hall of the Centre for Fine Arts.
Stanislav Pronin, violin
Violinist and composer Stanislav Pronin was born in Moscow, Russia and began his violin
studies upon his immigration to Israel at the age of 8. His first teacher was his
grandfather, Veniamin Pronin, a student of Pyotr Stoliarskiy and former Professor at the
Odessa Conservatoire. Stanislav continued his studies at Indiana University with Nelli
Shkolnikova and Jaime Laredo, and later at the Hochschule für Musik Köln, Germany,
with Professor Zakhar Bron.
Stanislav’s professional career began following his solo debut in Israel at the age of 10.
He has performed as soloist and chamber musician at many festivals including Verbier
Festival and Interlaken Classics in Switzerland, Banff Festival and Stratford Festival in
Canada, Kronberg Festival in Germany, etc. He performs regularly in USA, Canada,
Europe and Scandinavia, and in such venues as Carnegie Hall, Miller Theatre,
Musikhuset Aarhus, National Arts Centre Ottawa, Perlman Theatre in Philadelphia, and
so on. He has collaborated with numerous conductors including Leonard Slatkin, Herbert
Blomstedt, Antonio Mendez, Sigiswald Kuijken, Andrew Constantine and Joshua
Weilerstein. As chamber musician, he has collaborated with Jan Lisiecki, Jaime Laredo,
James Campbell, Mark Kaplan, Bion Tsang, Orion String Quartet, Victor Danchenko,
Julian Milkis, Anton Nel, Emille Naoumoff and Lera Auerbach. An avid performer of new
music, Stanislav has worked with and premiered works of such composers as John
Adams, Fabian Panisello, Ned Rorem, Toivo Tulev, Hans Abrahamsen and Lera Auerbach.
Stanislav’s recordings, including his solo CD debut on Naxos/Sono Luminus labels, have
been broadcast on numerous radio and television channels including WDR Köln, RTS-1
Belgrade, CBC Canada, Radio Klassisk Denmark, Interlochen Public Radio, WFMT Chicago
Classical, etc.
Stanislav is a recipient of multiple awards from such organization as the American String
Teachers Association, America-Israel Cultural Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts
and Classical Artists Development Foundation. He performs on a Nicola Bergonzi violin
from 1785, and the ex-Ysaye, ex-Flesch Voirin bow, generously on loan from a private
donor.