BERNARD, Marie

Marie Bernard is a prominent Canadian (Québec) composer, writer, producer, singer, and actress. Known heavily for her work as a keyboardist and an expert player of the ondes Martenot (an early electronic musical instrument), she has established a distinguished career spanning television, film, choral music, and contemporary composition. Bernard studied at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, where she received a First Prize (Premier Prix) specializing in the ondes Martenot.Early in her career, she served as an assistant and apprentice to the acclaimed Quebec composer and conductor François Dompierre.

During the 1980s, she began composing music for children’s television programs on Radio-Canada. She subsequently moved into cinematic film scoring. She is highly regarded for her choral pieces. Some of her notable recorded works include 8 haïkus, Vaste est la vie, and La Petite suite québécoise. Beyond composition, she collaborated with artist Michel Rivard and husband Paul Pagé on major musical productions, which earned high industry accolades like the Félix Awards in Quebec.