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David S. Bernstein

 
CountryUnited States of America
OccupationArranger, Composer, Teacher
CategoriesClassical, Contemporary

David S. Bernstein
As a creative artist, David Bernstein is unusually versatile in his choice of musical genres -- from intimate chamber combina tions to pieces for full band and orchestra; from music for films and video productions to theater, dance, and opera. Among his distinctive works is an animated film cho sen for a top spot in the Datsun Film Com petition and screened at the Director's Guild in Hollywood. He has scored com mercials for Goodyear, American Greetings, Classic Video, Ohio Farmers' Insurance, and others.
Besides the opera trilogy entitled Poe 2, Hawthorne 1, his compositions include eight works for orchestra. His fourmove ment composition for soprano, tenor, bari tone, narrator, and a large orchestra, "As Snow Before A Summer Sun," was adapted for television and shown on PBS stations in Ohio. The libretto was derived by the composer from Dee Brown's book, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," an historical account of the nineteenth century subjugation of Native Americans. 

David Bernstein's many chamber music compositions include his Silhouette series for solo instruments, including flute, oboe, tuba, guitar, and violin; plus duets for trom bone and percussion as well as flute and viola.
His Quadralogues quartet series fea tures the piano within various instrumen tal combinations: violin, viola, cello; flute, oboe, percussion; trumpet, clarinet, cello. Other chamber music includes two piano trios, a string trio, a woodwind trio and an extensive work for piano with five multiple percussionists. There are works for piano with French horn, with clarinet and a large chamber composition entitled "Two Tan dems" -- a work featuring a trumpet with four instrumental trios.


To all of these different musical genres -- each posing its own special challenges -- he has brought technical expertise, an eclectic style appropriate to the material, an un usual awareness of music's historical sweep, continuity, crossinfluences and a flair for instant communication. Dr. Bernstein's large and varied output has received hundreds of performances in prestigious venues around the world. Distinguished musical organizations have pro grammed his work, including the Musart Series of the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Eastman Percussion Ensemble, the Akron Symphony Orchestra under Louis Lane and the Cleveland Chamber Symphony under Edwin London. 

Bernstein has received twelve awards from ASCAP, four individual artist awards from The Ohio Arts Council, commissions and grants from The Akron Symphony Or chestra, The Fortnightly Musical Club of Cleveland, The Mirapaul Foundation, The Ohio Music Teachers Association, The White Oak Trio, The Jerome Foundation and a number of fellowship grants from The University of Akron. He has traveled widely and given lectures on his music in Vienna, Paris, Warsaw, Posnan, Crakow, including educational institutions: The Eastman School of Music, The University of Alberta, The University of Southern California, New York University, The University of Kentucky and many others.
His music is published by G. Schirmer, Acoma Produc tions, Ludwig Music Publications, Willis Music, Abingdon Press, LawsonGould, Dorn Productions, Music for Percussion, Inc. and Clear Note Publications. 

In addition to composing, Dr. Bernstein has been active for many years conducting, narrating, teaching, lecturing, administrat ing, producing and directing. In 1972 he joined the faculty of the University of Akron. From 1983 he served as Professor of Music and Chairperson of the Theory and Composition Department.
A native of Boston, Bernstein is a graduate of the Florida State University School of Music with bachelor's and master's de grees. He earned his doctorate in music in 1974, with distinction, from the Indiana University School of Music. In June of 2000, after a faculty tenure of nearly three de cades, Dr. Bernstein retired from his position at the University of Akron. Before his early retirement he was awarded the Cleveland Arts Prize as a gesture of appreciation for his notable contributions.

David S. Bernstein