BIOGRAPHY

Mark Bernat is widely regarded as one the world's premier virtuosos and pioneers of the double bass. Trained at the Juilliard School, Mr. Bernat held positions as Section Bassist with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta and as Principal Bassist of the Jerusalem Symphony under Lukas Foss. He has served as a faculty member at the Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Texas-Austin, and his former students hold positions in major orchestras and universities. His accomplishments as a soloist include first prize in the Juilliard Double Bass Competition and the Bloch Competition. He has performed in recital at venues including at Carnegie Recital Hall and London’s Purcell Room. His transcriptions of major works for the double bass, published by International Music Company, have greatly expanded the solo repertoire for double bass. Mr. Bernat was the first double bassist to perform all six of the Bach Suites in a landmark recording and has recently re-released a new recording of the Suites to much acclaim.​​