Philippe Bernold began his musical studies in Colmar, France, studying the flute and later composition and conducting under René Matter, himself a student of Charles and Fritz Münch.
He then attended the Paris Conservatoire, where he earned the First prize in flute and the next year, at the age of 23, was appointed first flute of the National Opera Orchestra of Lyon. In 1987 he won First Prize in the Jean-Pierre Rampal International Competition in Paris
This award allowed him to start a career as a soloist, performing with world famous artists and orchestras such as: M. Rostropovitch, J. P. Rampal, M. Nordmann, with Paris Orchestra, F. Liszt Orchestra of Budapest, Hallé Orchestra (Manchester), National Orchestra of Lyon, Tokyo and Kyoto Symphony Orchestras…, he has been directed by S. Bychkov, J. E. Gardiner, L. Maazel, K. Nagano, Sir Y. Menuhin, M. Inoué, T. Koopman, in concert halls such as the Royal Festival Hall in London, Pleyel Hall and Chatelet Theater in Paris, Cologne Philharmonie, Warsaw Philharmonic, Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo, Seoul Art Center, Tchaïkovsky Conservatory in Moscow, as well as at the Festivals of Aix-en-Provence, Cannes, Evian, Strasbourg, Radio France…
Philippe Bernold returned to conducting in 1994, founding “Les Virtuoses de l’Opéra de Lyon” with the encouragement of conductors John Eliot Gardiner and Kent Nagano. The ensemble quickly gained a reputation for its high level of artistry.
Since then, he has been invited to conduct concerts with such ensembles as Sinfonia Varsovia touring in Lisbon, Bilbao, Valence, Nantes and Warsaw, the National Opera Orchestra of Lyon, Baden Baden Philharmonie, Orchestre de chambre de Paris, Philharmonic Orchestra of Marseille, Orchestra of the Opera house of Toulon, Kanazawa Ensemble (Japan), “Bucheon Philharmonic” (Seoul), Geneva Chamber Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Philharmonia, Wiener Kammerorchester, Cappella Istropolitana, with whom he is first gest conductor. In Caracas, (Venezuela) Philippe conducts the famous “Simon Bolivar orchestra” (Musical director: Gustavo Dudamel).
He has collaborated with such artists as M. Portal, V. Gens, L. Korcia, R. & G. Capuçon, F. Say, M. Nordmann, S. Nakariakov, G. Opitz…
For the TV, Philippe Bernold conducts in 2008 a complete Mozart program with the Sinfonia Varsovia and Alexei Ogrintchouk as a soloist. (Mezzo). He has done three recordings with the Chamber Orchestra of Paris and with the same ensemble, he recorded Mozart flute concertos (Aparté)
His first recording won the “Grand Prix de l’Académie Charles Cros” in 1989. Since then Philippe Bernold has made more than twenty recordings for Harmonia Mundi, EMI… He has also made many recordings with pianist Alexandre Tharaud, which has received rave reviews. (“Choc” from Le Monde de la musique and “Diapason d’or” from Diapason).
Philippe Bernold is Professor of Chamber Music and flute at the National Paris Conservatoire.
