DRUMMING
percussion group
Drumming Percussion Group is a percussion ensemble dedicated to contemporary music, founded and directed by Miquel Bernat, in Porto, in 1999. Since then, it has established itself as one of the most important percussion internationally, contributing to sound innovation without neglecting the didactic-pedagogical and social aspects.
Drumming GP projects go from classical percussion to jazz, electronics and rock music, and also include the development of stage, opera and ballet music, working closely with composers. The vigor of the group’s performances is a factor of attraction and interaction wth the audience. Marked by a great adaptability to all kinds of spaces and contexts - from large national and international concert halls, open spaces, schools, universities or theaters in the interior of the country - the Drumming GP reaches diverse audiences in age, interests and social condition, including the most demanding of music lovers.
In 2016, the Portuguese newspaper Público chooses Drumming GP’s latest CD “MARES”, as their first choice and best classical music CD of the year.
Miguel Bernat
direction & percussions
Miquel Bernat received his musical education at the conservatories of Valencia, Madrid, Brussels and Rotterdam, and at the Aspen Summer Music Festival (USA). He was granted the "Premio Extraordinario Fin de Carrera" at the Conservatory of Madrid, the Special Prize for Percussion at the Dutch Gaudeamus Competition,the 2nd prize at the Aspen Nakamichi Competition and and the award for"researchers and Cultural Creators of the 2016 BBVA Foundation” for the promotion of the collection Concert Etudesfor Marimba that was published in 2017.
Being a musician of great versatility, he has played with the Orquesta Ciutat de Barcelona and with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, and the groups Ictus Ensemble, Ictus Piano and Percussion Quartet,Trio Allures, Duo Contemporain, among others.
As a soloist in numerous performances, he has premiered the "Concerto para Marimba y 15 instrumentos" by David del Puerto at the "Ars Musica Festival" in Brussels and at the "Ensems" Festival in Valencia (Spain). He premiered “Campos Magnéticos” by Cesar Camarero with the Orquesta Nacional do Porto, Portugal and the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid. Other concertos premiered are: Mantis Walk in a Metal Spaceby Javier Alvarez, for Steel Drums with ensemble and electronics, at IRCAM/Centre G. Pompidou in París, 2003; Sombrío by Luis de Pablo in Auditório Nacional de España/Música de Hoy, Madrid 2005; Night by Mauricio Sotelo in the Casa da Música of Porto 2007, Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid and Teatro Central de Sevilla 2008, and from the same composer Chalan (new version) at the Warsaw Festival 2009 with the Radio-Television Orchestra from Spain, Marlos Nobre Triple Percussion Concerto with Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisboa 2011 and the Concerto for Percussion by Joan Guinjoan with Cadaqués Orchestra in the Palau de la Música, Barcelona.
Formerly a professor at the Rotterdam and Brussels conservatories, he is currently engaged intensively in pedagogical activities at the Escola Superior de Musica de Catalunya in Barcelona and the Escola Superior de Musica do Porto. As Lecturer and Masterclass Professor he has been invited to Darmstadt Summer Course (Germany), Instrumenta de Oaxaca (Mexico), the International Summer Course of Brasilia, Oslo Music Academy, among many other universities in Argentina, South Africa, the USA, UK and Australia.
In Porto, he founded DRUMMING-Grupo de Percussão, which was selected as resident music group when Porto was the 2001 Cultural Capital of Europe. Drumming-GP has become one of the leading percussion ensembles in the world, uniquely expanding interactions between music and other art forms.
Miguel is regularly invited to the most reputed international contemporary music festivals and concert halls, such as the Opera de Paris, the Citè de la Musique, the festival “Música” in Strasbourg, the Radio France Festival in Montpellier, the Barbican Center of London, the Auditorio Teresa Carreño in Caracas, Darwin Guitarre Festival, the Next Wave Festival in Brooklyn, New York, the Helsinky Festival, and the Parco de la Música in Rome. He has also performed as soloist, ensemble player and/or leader of masterclasses in Turkey, Japan, Thailand, and South Africa.
He has performed extensively with various dance companies, including as soloist in "Just Before" by the Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker and her company ROSAS. With ROSAS, he has also performed "Drumming Live", "Rain Live", "Steve Reich Evening" and "April me". Other successful collaboration with dance and percussion were “Psappha”, by the Italian choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti with the Ballet Gulbenkian of Lisbon, and “Festa da Insignificancia”, with Paulo Ribeiro Dance Company.
A passionate performer of new music, Miquel Bernat has worked with numerous composers (many works have been dedicated to him) thus contributing to the expansion and evolution of the contemporary repertoire for percussion.