Performances + Events
Violinist David Bernat ’18 has been appointed to the renowned Formosa Quartet. Bernat, known for his deeply personal approach to music and his dynamic performances, will join fellow NEC alumni cellist Deborah Pae ’12 MM and violinist Jasmine Lin ’97, ’99 MM, along with violist Matthew Cohen, in the quartet.
Bernat succeeds violinist Wayne Lee, who has been with the ensemble since 2012 and is stepping down to spend more time with his family and establish deeper roots in Seattle. He expressed his enthusiasm for joining the ensemble: “I am thrilled to be joining Debbie, Jasmine, and Matt in this upcoming chapter of the Formosa Quartet! From my first experience playing with the quartet, I felt a unique warmth of spirit that allowed for a thrilling spontaneity and a true sense of exploration in the music-making.”
Bernat is a highly accomplished violinist, soloist and chamber musician. His recent engagements include performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Tanglewood, Marlboro Music Festival, and Red Barn Chamber Music. He is also the artistic director of the Grace Note Farm Music Festival and a passionate advocate for contemporary music, having collaborated with composers such as Thomas Adès, John Adams, and Augusta Read Thomas. A graduate of NEC, where he studied with faculty member Soovin Kim, Bernat is currently a C.V. Starr Doctoral Fellow at the Juilliard School and a member of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect.
The Formosa Quartet, acclaimed for their innovative and expressive performances, praised Lee for his contributions and expressed their anticipation for the new possibilities Bernat brings. “In Wayne we could not have had a better colleague,” they said. “While we will miss him greatly, we are tremendously excited to welcome David, whose brilliance, uniqueness, and creativity open up whole new worlds of possibility in our onward journey.”
The Formosa Quartet has a rich history of storytelling and advocacy, winning the 1st Prize and Amadeus Prize at the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition. They serve as Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music and are known for their explorative approach to the standard literature, as well as their innovative American Mirror Project.
