Scintillating Saint-Saëns: The Full InsideOut Concerts(r) Experience

Since its founding in 1999, the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony has built a loyal following, both in New York City and worldwide through its extensive catalog of recordings on iTunes,  Amazon and Spotify.  A three time--FIRST PRIZE Winner of The American Prize Competition in Orchestral Performance (2011, 2012, 2013), the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony's performances were described by the judges as "extremely impressive, well-shaped.  This ensemble is good enough to surpass many professional orchestras, performing incredibly difficult repertoire on a professional level."  New York Critics have acclaimed Park Avenue Chamber Symphony performances as “Triumphant...polished…exquisite…with a strong sense of style and commitment…with the depth and fervor of the old school European orchestras.” 

David Bernard, Music Director of the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, has gained recognition for his dramatic and incisive conducting in the United Stated and in over 20 countries on four continents.  He serves as Music Director of the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony and the Massapequa Philharmonic. A multiple First Prize winner of the Orchestral Conducting Competition of The American Prize, Bernard was described in the judges’ remarks as, “a first-rate conductor…phenomenal performance…masterly in shaping, phrasing, technique and expressivity.”

Noted recent performances include a Lincoln Center performance of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring (“Conducting from memory, David Bernard led a transcendent performance…vivid…expertly choreographed.”, LucidCulture) and a Carnegie Hall performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (“taught and dramatic”, superconductor).

Bernard’s recordings have received enthusiastic critical praise. His release of Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique was lauded by  as “…an impressively elegant, thoughtful, well‑balanced and sophisticated Tchaikovsky Pathétique.” Of his Beethoven Symphony No. 9 release, The Arts Desk proclaimed “Scintillating Beethoven…Edge-of-the-seat playing…it’s a winner: dramatic, witty, eloquent and boasting some startling choral work in the last movement.” His complete recorded Beethoven symphony cycle was praised by  magazine for its “intensity, spontaneity, propulsive rhythm, textural clarity, dynamic control, and well-judged phrasing”. Of his recent premiere recording of new editions of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and The Firebird, The Art Music Lounge proclaimed “this is THE preferred recording of The Rite because of its authenticity as well as the almost startling boldness of approach.”.

David Bernard is an acclaimed orchestra builder and is sought after for his artistic leadership and innovation in community engagement. Under his leadership as Music Director, both the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony and the Massapequa Philharmonic have thrived—with growing audiences, expanded ensembles and increased critical acclaim. Bernard’s approach to growing new audiences for classical music include engaging families in the community through schools, presenting multi-media concert presentations and developing a new concert format—“Classical Music from the InsideOut” where audiences sit inside the orchestra during concerts. David Bernard’s InsideOut concerts with the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony and the Massapequa Philharmonic have been acclaimed by WQXR, Newsday, ClassicalWorld and the Epoch Times, bringing an unsurpassed experience and level of engagement for the audiences of all ages.