DCV 416 – Bernard Benoliel: Complete Works, Vol. 1: Aedifico

Bernard Benoliel was born in Detroit Michigan in 1943 and grew up with his grandfather Bernardo Coppola, an Italian émigré, who after serving in the Canadian Army during the first World War, set up a restaurant in Detroit. Benoliel’s mother was a professional dancer, for a while on the New York stage.

During the third week of May, Donemus will cooperate with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, the Latvian State Choir and the New Music Festival Arena in a recording project and concert of the two major works of Bernard Benoliel. René Gulikers will be the conductor for this project.

"Creativity is an unconscious act of insanity, in a burst of which the truth is born. No matter how beautiful or disgusting it may seem to people far from madness, its value is beyond doubt, both for the author and for those able to sense its invisible beauty. After all, gratitude for endless trials and suffering brings joy and blissful emptiness… Being shocked by music is about pain turning into beauty and getting under your skin, taking away your breath; about everything stopping to move. I want to be scratched inside by sound and experience the fleeting, invisible beauty." - Maxim Shalygin

Celia Swart (1994, NL) is a new music composer, saxophone player and visual artist. Growing up playing saxophone and piano, she found her love for composing.

Education Michael has a degree in English Literature from the State University of New York. Despite having no formal music education, he has an active international career in several aspects of the music business.