Filipino violist and gambist Julian Bernal (they/he) is a string player whose work spans a wide range of genres, periods, and styles. Starting on the violin at the age of 4, Julian went on to study viola at the Philippine HighSchool for the Arts, joining the award-winning Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra(MSJO) on their international tours from 2017-2020. After relocating to theUnited States in 2021, they started playing viola da gamba at the Longy School of Music under the guidance of Jane Hershey, and are currently finishing their undergraduate studies in classical viola performance with Paul Laraia at theBoston Conservatory at Berklee. They have also had the opportunity to learn from string pedagogues and performers such as Sarah Darling, Ralph Farris, Christine Lamprea, Karla Donehew-Perez, Saul Bitran, Michi Wiancko, NickPhotinos, Phoebe Carrai, and Daniel Sweaney.

As an orchestral musician, Julian has performed in venues such asCarnegie Hall, Symphony Hall, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), theMuTh concert hall, the Musikverein, and the Wiener Konzerthaus. In recent years, they have attended the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival and Longy’s Divergent Studio, and are a current member of the Harvard Baroque ChamberOrchestra.

‍