Mario Bernardi

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use Canadian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Mario Bernardi, Template:Post-nominals (20 August 1930 – 2 June 2013) was a Canadian conductor and pianist.<ref name=canenc>Mario Bernardi at The Canadian Encyclopedia.</ref> He conducted 75 different operas and over 450 other works with the National Arts Centre Orchestra.<ref name=canenc />

Biography

Bernardi was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario,<ref name=canenc /> and spent his first six years in Canada. After his family moved to Italy,<ref name=canenc /> Bernardi studied piano, organ, and composition with Template:Ill at the Manzato Conservatory at Treviso and took his examinations at Italy's Venice Conservatory.<ref name=canenc />

After graduating in 1945, his family returned to Canada where he finished his studies at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.<ref name=canenc /> He then was a concert pianist.

In 1957 he conducted the Canadian Opera Company,<ref name=canenc /> and in 1963 was an assistant conductor and later a music director and conductor of the Mozart opera presentations at the Sadler's Wells Opera Company (now the English National Opera) from 1966 to 1968.<ref name=canenc />

In 1969 he became the founding conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa,<ref name=canenc /> and also became the music director in 1971.<ref name=canenc /> He then led the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra from 1984 until 1992.<ref name=canenc /> From 1983 until 2006 he was the principal conductor of the CBC Radio Orchestra.<ref name=canenc /> He then retired from full-time work, although he continued to perform with numerous orchestras as an occasional guest conductor;<ref name=canenc /> he was named NACO's conductor laureate in 1997.<ref name=canenc />

He has made several dozen recordings for CBC Records, the CBC's in-house label, among others.<ref name=canenc />

He died on 2 June 2013 in Toronto.<ref name=death>"NAC Orchestra founding conductor Mario Bernardi dies". CBC News, 3 June 2013.</ref>

Personal life

Bernardi worked until age 80, when he had a serious stroke and moved to a care home. He continued to play piano until he lost sufficient finger dexterity.<ref name="theglobeandmail.com">Template:Cite news</ref>

Bernardi was married, with one daughter and two grandsons.<ref name="theglobeandmail.com"/>

Honours

• He has honorary degrees from the University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, University of Windsor, University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Lakehead University and Laurentian University.<ref name=canenc />
• 1972: He was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.<ref>Template:Canadian honour</ref>
• 1982: Received the Diplôme d'Honneur from the Canadian Conference of the Arts
• 1999: Bernardi received the National Arts Centre Award, a companion award of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• 2001: He received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• 2006: He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Further reading

• Interview with Mario Bernardi, 5 June 1995