David Bernat, violin

Recognized for his deeply personal approach to music and ability to connect with a wide range of audiences, violinist David Bernat leads a multifaceted career as a performer, educator, and artistic director.

A sought-after chamber musician, David was appointed violinist of the Formosa String Quartet who serve as ensemble in residence at the University of Houston Moores School of Music and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. Recent engagements include performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Seoul Arts Center, Marlboro Music Festival, Guarneri Hall in Chicago, Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, and radio appearances on the BBC Radio 3 program “In Tune” and at WQXR’s Greene Space. He has collaborated with the Frisson and Chameleon Arts Ensembles and regularly tours with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and Sejong Soloists.

A passionate advocate for contemporary music, David has enjoyed close collaborations with distinguished composers Thomas Adès, John Adams, John Harbison, Augusta Read Thomas, Fred Lerdahl, and George Walker. Recent projects include the world premieres of every song has an unsung third stanza (2026) by Paul Novak, Stridulation (2026) by Katinka Kleijn Lullaby (2023) by Yike Zhang, and Stretched (2022) by Hannah Ishizaki.

Heavily committed to community engagement, advocacy, and education, David held the 2023-2025 Ensemble Connect Fellowship from Carnegie Hall, the Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education. As part of the fellowship, he served as a partner teacher at I.S/P.S 226 Alfred de B. Mason in Brooklyn and developed interactive performances for schools, shelters, hospitals, and assisted living facilities throughout New York City. 

As a curator, David is the founder and Artistic Director of the Grace Note Farm Music Festival. The festival’s mission is to build community through music by bringing together musicians and audience members from throughout New England to enjoy the beautiful and historic northwest corner of Rhode Island.

Alongside his musical activities, David is a distinguished chess player, having learned the game at a young age. With renewed passion following the chess boom during the pandemic, he achieved the National Master title in 2021 making him among the top one percent of players in the United States. 

David is a graduate of the New England Conservatory and earned his Masters and Doctoral degrees at the Juilliard School. His past teachers include Joseph Lin, Soovin Kim, Yuan-Qing Yu, and Katie Wolfe. He performs on a violin made by Samuel Zygmuntowicz in 1984.