About Francisco Joubert Bernard

Francisco Joubert Bernard is a dynamic bassoonist and educator recognized for his versatility in orchestral performance and his commitment to community engagement. He currently serves as Second Bassoon with the Louisville Orchestra and Principal Bassoon of the Sphinx Orchestra in Detroit, an ensemble dedicated to amplifying the voices of Black and Latinx musicians. A highlight of his tenure in Louisville includes his participation in the recording of the orchestra’s Grammy Award-winning album featuring Yuja Wang performing Teddy Abrams’ Piano Concerto.

A highly sought-after orchestral musician, Francisco has performed as a substitute with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, ProMusica Chamber Music, and many more. His leadership experience includes his tenure as a Bassoon Fellow at the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas, where he curated innovative projects such as a Puerto Rican Folk Music Concert and the multimedia performance Double Take: The Imaginative Symphony. In this fellowship, he performed part of John Williams' Bassoon Concerto as part of the New World Symphony's gala celebrating the composer, who was present for the event.

As a soloist and chamber musician, Francisco is a passionate advocate for Latin American repertoire. He has performed concertos by Mozart and Weber, and his recital programs have featured works by Villa-Lobos, Piazzolla, Lorena Ruíz, and commissioned pieces by composers such as Johanny Navarro.

Deeply committed to the next generation of musicians, Francisco serves as Professor of Bassoon at the University of Louisville. His pedagogical reach extends internationally, having led masterclasses at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, and the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico. He also serves on the jury for the Sphinx Orchestral Partners Auditions and is a dedicated mentor for the National Alliance for Audition Support and the VIA Academy, focusing on guiding under-represented students in the classical music field. His private high school students have achieved top chairs in All-State competitions in Kentucky and have been accepted with partial or full scholarships to prestigious institutions such as the Cleveland Institute of Music, University of Kentucky, Ball State University, University of Louisville, and Emory University.

Francisco holds a Master of Music from the Yale School of Music and a Bachelor of Music from the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico. Outside of the concert hall, he has been an industry leader, having served and negotiated as part of the orchestra musicians committee, and has been featured on the cover of the International Musician magazine. He is the current owner of VGB Music Store.