Madeleine Bernier

Education

From 1950 to 1953, Madeleine Bernier studied piano with Guy Bourassa and Henri Gagnon, and solfège with Ria Lenssens at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec (CMQ), then studied theory with Jeanne Landry at Laval University.

On a grant from the Quebec government, she completed her studies in Paris with Antoine Reboulot and in London with Norman Greenwood (1953–56). She also took courses in Dalcroze eurhythmics in Paris, London, and Geneva.

Career Highlights

Back in Canada, Madeleine Bernier taught at the School of Education and the School of Music of Laval University from 1959 to 1960. She became accompanist at the CMQ in 1960 and was accompanist in 1973 at the Académie internationale d'été in Nice for the classes of Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute), Mady Mesplé (opera), and Hans Sittner (lieder), and for the class of Albert Lance (voice) in 1983. She also accompanied the Italian opera classes given by Ettore Campogalliani at the Mozarteum in Salzburg during the summer of 1979.

Bernier accompanied several performers at various competitions including those of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, the CBC, the MSO Concours, the Prix d'Europe, the Canadian Music Competitions, and the International Oboe Competition in Toulon. In 1990 she accompanied the class of the Swiss-German oboist Thomas Indermühle at the Domaine Forget in St-Irénée.

Family

Madeleine Bernier married violinist and administrator François Magnan. Their son Philippe Magnan was an oboist. Other notable members of her family include:

• Joseph-Arthur Bernier (grandfather)
• Maurice Bernier (father)
• Gabrielle Bernier (aunt)
• Conrad Bernier (uncle)
• Françoys Bernier and Pierre Bernier (brothers)