PIRIS Bernard

Pupil of Jean Rodiac, then René Bartoli, Bernard Piris has been studying guitar, sight-singing, harmony and analysis at the Conservatoire National de Marseille, where he obtained unanimously a Gold Medal in guitar. At Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, Bernard Piris organises the Biennales de Guitare en Tricastin, a festival in which Alberto Ponce, René Bartoli, Arnaud Dumond, Narciso Yepes, Roland Dyens, Alirio Diaz, Roberto Aussel, Hopkinson Smith, Betho Davezac, Pierre Bensusan, Ralph Towner, Francis Kleynjans, Egberto Gismonti, Vladimir Mikulka, Oscar Ghiglia, Eduardo Isaac, Leo Brouwer, David Russell, among others, have played. His book Fernando Sor, une guitare à l'orée du Romantisme (Éd. Aubier / Flammarion), commissioned by the Arles Festival, is considered as a reference in the guitar circles. Bernard Piris is teacher of guitar and lute at the Conservatoire of Tricastin (Pierrelatte et Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, la Drôme). Leo Brouwer about Bernard Piris... Bernard Piris takes his inspiration from his French roots , naturally and respectfully. His language goes beyond popular music by way of a personal journey through modulations which bring to life the tonal character of his themes. Piris doesn't pretend to compare himself to Satie or Kosma, Jobim or Barrios. He touches our sensitivities with "French Song" with a highly respected tradition and his mastery of writing for the guitar. Piris' musical language is coherent in its structure. He is not a composer who mixes more and more ideas without developing them or without "explaining" them ( it is what I like to do as well when I compose). A clear language requires a clear musical form. A complex language requires a musical form which is even clearer! This is what we have to listen to here. - Leo Brouwer Sergio Assad about Bernard Piris The writing of Bernard Piris has everything one can dream in a piece of music : consistent architecture, beautiful melodies, interesting harmonies and strong rythms. He has a great ability to develop a simple motif or a simple phrase into a myriad of different and fresh versions. The changes occur in all musical plans : the harmonic, the melodic, and the rythmical. One listen to his music with a renewed interest in each episode he proposes and is frequently surprised by the subtle and smooth changes of the first and original idea. These pieces are a great addition to the repertoire of guitar ensemble music, and I just wish that Bernard will keep writing more and more, bringing beauty to a world that really needs it so much.  - Sergio Assad