Hermel Bruneau

Bruneau, Hermel

Hermel Bruneau. Harpsichordist, gambist, teacher, b St-Félix-de-Valois, near Joliette, Que, 23 Apr 1940; premiers prix harpsichord, chamber music (CMQ) 1972. He first studied piano, then cello with Rolland Brunelle and later harpsichord at the CMQ with Donald Thomson. He attended (1975-7, 1991) several summer schools in Europe. He has performed with the CBC Quebec Chamber Orchestra, the orchestra of the Concerts Couperin and the Quebec Symphony Orchestra and has presented recitals throughout Quebec. He has been heard on CBC radio where he played viola da gamba in recordings of the complete sonatas for flute and ground bass by Haendel and Telemann. In Montreal, he took part in 1965 in a concert presentation of Bach's complete concertos for harpsichords, along with Kenneth Gilbert, Hubert Bédard, Mireille Lagacé, Lucette Guité, and the Gabora String Quartet. He was a founding member of the Ensemble instrumental du Québec (1970-81) with whom he made three recordings. He has played viola da gamba with the Ensemble Nouvelle-France (beginning in 1989), including on several records, and with the Ensemble Continuo (from 1990). He has taught at the Découvreurs School Board (from 1963), at Laval University (1968-72, 1988), at the CMQ (1972-90) and at the Conservatoire de Chicoutimi (from 1980).