Robert Bernat (July 3, 1931 – December 3, 1994) was an American
composer and the founder, artistic director, and
conductorof the
River City Brass Band in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
. His musical influences included his mentor,
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...
, as well as other American composers including
Leonard Bernstein,
George Gershwin
George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...
, and
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa ( ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to dis ...
.
Biography
Bernat was born in
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, Johnstown is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, whi ...
on July 3, 1931 to Pearl Willie and Andrew Bernat. His mother died when he was four. That same year, his maternal grandfather taught him to play the country
fiddle. By the time he was a teenager, he was playing the
clarinet and
saxophone
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...
professionally in
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
bands. At 15, he composed his first
sonata for
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...
and
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
. He obtained his undergraduate degree from
Carnegie Mellon University (then, Carnegie Tech) in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
and his
Master of Fine Arts in
Composition
Composition or Compositions may refer to:
Arts and literature
*Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography
*Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include v ...
from
Brandeis University
, mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = NECHE
, president = Ronald D. Liebowitz
, ...
.
In 1960, Bernat received a Crofts fellowship to attend the
Boston Symphony Orchestra's Tanglewood Music Center in the Berkshires where he studied with composer
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...
. He held academic posts at
Bethany College,
Brandeis University
, mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = NECHE
, president = Ronald D. Liebowitz
, ...
,
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
and the
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
before finding a permanent teaching home in the music department at
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) is a public research university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. As of fall 2021, the university enrolled 7,044 undergraduates and 1,865 postgraduates, for a total enrollment of 9,009 students. The univ ...
. In 1966, the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
The ''Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra'' (''PSO'') is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.
History
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an America ...
commissioned him to compose ''In Memoriam: John F. Kennedy'', a tribute to the late president. The piece was premiered on November 25, 1966. In the program notes, Bernat stated, "I tried to build the kind of piece that would be accessible to as many listeners as possible without compromising my own musical ideals." This musical philosophy was a common thread throughout Bernat's career. The
Louisville Orchestra
The Louisville Orchestra is the primary orchestra in Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1937 by Robert Whitney (1904–1986) and Charles Farnsley, Mayor of Louisville. The Louisville Orchestra employs salaried musicians, and offers a wide ...
later recorded I''n Memoriam'' as part of their first edition series. From 1971-1972, Bernat was a
Woodrow Wilson Fellow
The Institute for Citizens & Scholars (formerly known as the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation) is a nonpartisan, non-profit based in Princeton, New Jersey that aims to strengthen American democracy by “cultivating the talent, ideas, ...
at
California Institute for the Arts in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, California where he studied electronic music. When he returned to Pennsylvania, he served as executive director of the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts from 1972 through 1975.
Composer and Brass Band
Bernat was commissioned in 1976 by British composer
Elgar Howarth
Elgar Howarth (born 4 November 1935), is an English conductor, composer and trumpeter.
Biography
Howarth was born at Cannock, Staffordshire. He was educated in the 1950s at Manchester University and the Royal Manchester College of Music (the ...
to write his first brass band composition, ''Dunlap's Creek''. The
Grimethorpe Colliery Band
The Grimethorpe Colliery Band is a brass band, based in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, England. It was formed in 1917, as a leisure activity for the workers at the colliery, by members of the disbanded Cudworth Colliery Band. Along with the Blac ...
premiered the piece in
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Greater Pittsburgh Region. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census, down from 12,422 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat and ...
and in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
as part of the
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States of America as an independent republic. It was a central event ...
celebrations. Composing ''Dunlap's Creek'' inspired Bernat to learn more about these bands which enjoy great popularity in
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. In September 1978, he was the first composer selected by the state of
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
and the
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
to participate in an arts exchange program with the United Kingdom. He moved to
Sheffield, England
Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire an ...
for almost a year to study brass bands up close. He was so impressed by the bands' combination of musical virtuosity and accessibility that he made up his mind to bring the
brass band movement to the US.
He began to execute his plan in 1980 in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
. The Steel City was not only a perfect base for this
blue collar
A blue-collar worker is a working class person who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled labor. The type of work may involving manufacturing, warehousing, mining, excavation, electricity generation and power ...
music (traditionally the musicians were coal miners and mill workers), it also offered a deep pool of musical talent. In 1981, the
River City Brass Band (RCBB) gave its debut performance at Pittsburgh's
Carnegie Music Hall. Bernat served as the RCBB's
conductor, artistic director and president. Under his direction, the RCBB's musicians brought a variety of music — everything from traditional marches and
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
tunes to newly commissioned works—to Pittsburgh audiences.
During performances, Bernat would tell anecdotes about the various pieces and composers and encouraged audiences to join in for
sing-a-longs. Bernat was diagnosed with
lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...
in May 1994. With the RCBB in its 15th season, Bernat handed over his baton to
cornet player,
Denis Colwell, but continued to work behind the scenes to ensure that his artistic vision was properly executed. He died on December 3, 1994 at the age of 63 in his home. His legacy continues today as the River City Brass Band (now River City Brass) plays nationally and internationally under the direction of conductor and artistic director,
James Gourlay
James Gourlay (born 1956) is a Scottish conductor and tubist.
Biography
Gourlay was born in Scotland and began to play in his local brass band at an early age. He took part in numerous solo competitions at that time and soon became Scottish ...
, an internationally renowned
tuba
The tuba (; ) is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the ne ...
player and former conductor of the Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
Personal
Bernat married Edwinna Bossler, a fellow Johnstown native, in 1954, and they had three daughters, Brenda, Rebecca (Becky), and June Elizabeth (Betsy). He eventually married four times. The former Nancy Buttermore was his wife at the time of his death.
Awards and honors
* Woodrow Wilson Fellow (1971)
* Man of the Year in Arts and Music, City of Pittsburgh (1989)
* Honorary Doctorate of the Arts, Washington & Jefferson College (1990)
* Achievement Award, City of Johnstown (1992)
* Composer's Radio Award, BMI, "Woodwind Quartet"
References
External links
River City Brass Band
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernat, Robert
1931 births
1994 deaths
20th-century American composers
20th-century American conductors (music)
American male composers
American male conductors (music)
Brass band composers
Bethany College (West Virginia) faculty
Brandeis University faculty
Brandeis University alumni
California Institute of the Arts faculty
Carnegie Mellon University alumni
Indiana University of Pennsylvania faculty
Ohio State University faculty
University of Pittsburgh faculty
Deaths from lung cancer in Pennsylvania
People from Johnstown, Pennsylvania
20th-century American male musicians