Bernie1 — Godefroi Bernier

Armenia & Karabakh Arts & Culture International pianist

Godefroi Bernier: ‘Komitas Revolutionized My Approach to the Piano’

February 19, 2026

by

Artsvi Bakhchinyan

99

YEREVAN/LILLE, France — French pianist Godefroi Bernier (born in 1992) is deeply attached to Armenia and Armenian music. A graduate of the Lille Conservatory, he has participated in numerous festivals. In 2020, he recorded his first studio album, “The Piano at the Heart of Armenia,” presenting Armenian music through the works of six composers. In 2022, he released a second album, “Komitas: Complete Works for Piano,” featuring previously unpublished early compositions. In 2023, Bernier performed a four-hand piano repertoire with his wife, pianist Mari Poshotyan, introducing audiences to new works transcribed by Bernier himself. In 2025, he began working on a third album dedicated to the composer and pianist Georgi Sarajyan.

Dear Godefroi, how did you become a pianist?

Since I began playing the piano at the age of 20, I would say that becoming a pianist is nothing short of a miracle. I did not receive a musical education, and there were no musicians in my family; the piano appeared to me as a calling during a period when my desire for expression was intense. I tend to compare that moment in my life to a rebirth that undeniably transformed my deepest identity.

If it hadn’t been the piano, what other form of art would you have explored?

I have always been fascinated by architecture, especially ancient monuments — in France, the great cathedrals that shaped our Christian identity. I could have imagined myself as a stonemason, using my hands to restore these immortal masterpieces.

You may have already told the story of how your interest in Armenian music began; could you tell it again?

My encounter with the Armenian repertoire took place during my studies. There was a temporary exhibition at the art museum next to the conservatory entitled “Christians of the East.” At the opening, I heard Babadjanian’s Elegy on the piano, and that melody never left me. I subsequently immersed myself in the Armenian repertoire, which was unknown to me at the time, quickly discovering the genius of Komitas, who revolutionized my approach to the piano.

You have described Komitas as the “authentic soul of Armenian culture.” In your opinion, what makes him so unique in the world of music?

Beyond the considerable ethnomusicological work he undertook, Komitas managed to adapt to European musical writing while preserving the specific features and unique character of Armenian music. Speaking of my instrument, the piano, Komitas transforms it through his writing into an ensemble of national instruments, innovating and expanding its sonic possibilities to the same extent as Debussy or Albéniz did during the same period.

For the past five years, you have presented the complete piano works of Komitas on French and Armenian stages. It is wonderful that you also introduce audiences to a lesser-known composer who fully deserves recognition: Georgi Sarajyan.

If Komitas built the foundations of modern Armenian music, Sarajyan elevated it by dedicating a substantial body of piano works to Armenian musical themes. His writing is innovative, rich, and modern. He shapes each phrase in unexpected ways, to the point that it is impossible for me to tire of it, even after hours of practice.

The Armenian Mirror-Spectator

Topics: pianist

People: Godefroi Bernier, Komitas

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You are married to an Armenian woman; how is Mari’s career developing in France?

Mari quickly found her footing in France. She teaches piano and music theory and is preparing a Chopin recital that should be performed next year. She is a great admirer of the Romantic period and French Impressionism, particularly Chopin and Ravel.

What is particularly remarkable about being the son-in-law of an Armenian?

It is the feeling of belonging to a great people and their history — the pride of possessing a unique and authentic connection to their culture. It is the power to bring part of this remarkable heritage to life, to share it, and to preserve it, and to apply the strong values of this people to one’s own life: hospitality, kindness, respect, and love of family.

Do you have an interesting remark or a funny anecdote to share?

During my first stay, I discovered Armenian cuisine, especially Gavar pakhlava, which I loved. On my second visit, Mari’s grandmother took care to prepare many pakhlavas in an enormous mold that could probably hold around fifty pastries. I was deeply touched by this gesture, which may seem ordinary to the people of Armenia.

You have performed several times in Armenia—can we expect a new surprise from you during your next visit?

Absolutely. It is a project that Mari and I recently launched. Alongside our musical activities, we created a publishing house for young audiences called “Armart Édition.” Our first project was completed a few months ago: a sound-enhanced book illustrating the life of Komitas through anecdotes. On each page, children can hear different sounds—singing, instruments, and even Komitas’s authentic voice recorded in Paris at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Many thanks, Godefroi, for your answers and your activity! And I wish Armenian music has more ambassadors like you of in the world!

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