Maurice Bernier (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Maurice Bernier was a Canadian journalist
, cellist
, and music critic. He wrote music criticism for the Quebec City newspaper L'Événement from 1922-1932. He then worked as a reporter stationed at the National Assembly of Quebec
for the next four decades.
Born in Quebec City
, Bernier was a member of a prominent family of Canadian musicians. His father was the organist
Joseph-Arthur Bernier
and he was the brother of pianist Gabrielle Bernier and composer and keyboardist Conrad Bernier. Three of his children became successful musicians: Françoys Bernier
, Madeleine Bernier, and Pierre Bernier. He began his musical training with his father as a child. He studied the piano with his father and later was a pupil of Henri Gagnon
on that instrument. From 1912-1920 he studied the cello with J.-Alexandre Gilbert and Paul Robitaille. In 1915 he became a member of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra under conductor Joseph Vézina
. He played with the orchestra for about a decade but abandoned his professional music career in favour of his work as a writer. In 1978 he wrote several articles about the Quebec Symphony Orchestra in the year of the ensemble's 75th anniversary for Le Mois à Québec.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, cellist
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, and music critic. He wrote music criticism for the Quebec City newspaper L'Événement from 1922-1932. He then worked as a reporter stationed at the National Assembly of Quebec
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
for the next four decades.
Born in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, Bernier was a member of a prominent family of Canadian musicians. His father was the organist
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
Joseph-Arthur Bernier
Joseph-Arthur Bernier
Joseph-Arthur Bernier was a Canadian organist, pianist, composer, and music educator. Born in Lévis, Quebec, he was the senior member of a prominent family of musicians from Quebec City...
and he was the brother of pianist Gabrielle Bernier and composer and keyboardist Conrad Bernier. Three of his children became successful musicians: Françoys Bernier
Françoys Bernier
Françoys Joseph Arthur Maurice Bernier was a Canadian pianist, conductor, radio producer, arts administrator, and music educator. He served as the music director of the Montreal Festivals from 1956–1960 and was an active conductor and radio producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation during...
, Madeleine Bernier, and Pierre Bernier. He began his musical training with his father as a child. He studied the piano with his father and later was a pupil of Henri Gagnon
Henri Gagnon
Henri Gagnon was a Canadian composer, organist, and music educator. He spent 51 years playing the organ at the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré where, according to music historian François Brassard, he earned "a prestige similar to that of the famous organists of Europe"...
on that instrument. From 1912-1920 he studied the cello with J.-Alexandre Gilbert and Paul Robitaille. In 1915 he became a member of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra under conductor Joseph Vézina
Joseph Vézina
François-Joseph Vézina was a Quebec conductor, composer, organist and music professor. Vézina is buried in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont in Sainte-Foy.-Early life:...
. He played with the orchestra for about a decade but abandoned his professional music career in favour of his work as a writer. In 1978 he wrote several articles about the Quebec Symphony Orchestra in the year of the ensemble's 75th anniversary for Le Mois à Québec.