Bernard d'Ascoli was born in the South of France and began learning the piano and organ at the age of eleven. In 1974 he was the youngest French Baccalauréat graduate of the year and four years later, at the age of nineteen, he won the First Prize at the Barcelona International Piano Competition. He first came to major public attention in 1981 when, following his Third Prize in the Leeds International Piano Competition, he made his London debut both in recital and with orchestra and recorded the Liszt sonata and other works for EMI. He was soon performing in many of the world's most prestigious venues including Paris, Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), Vienna (Musikverein), Geneva, Brussels, Madrid, Tokyo, Washington and the Sydney Opera House. Bernard has performed with the leading London and British orchestras as well as with many major overseas ensembles such as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Boston Symphony, Dresden Philharmonic and the Montreal Symphony under such conductors as Svetlanov, Sanderling, Berglund, Plasson, Casadesus, Guschlbauer, Litton, Menuhin, Pritchard, Herbig, Leppard, Fischer and Andrew Davis. Bernard has participated in international festivals such as Sintra, Orviedo, La Roque d'Anthéron and Besançon. In 2000 he was a special guest of the Sydney Olympic festivities, appearing at the Opera House both as recitalist and soloist with the Sydney Symphony. He regularly appears with the London Mozart Players and Andrew Parrot, with whom he has recently toured nationwide including performances at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and St John’s Smith Square. Bernard d'Ascoli has recorded albums of Chopin and Schumann for Nimbus and has made numerous recordings as well as live broadcasts for the BBC. Linn Records has released another Schumann CD of the Quintet and other works where he is joined by the Schidlof Quartet. His affinity with the music of Chopin has led him to undertake the recording of the complete Scherzi and Impromptus and a double album of the complete Nocturnes for the Athene-Minerva label. The latter CD has been selected as an "Editor’s Choice" in the "Gramophone" magazine (March 2006 issue). October 2007