Biography

Today, Roland Kern gives priority to composing, performing solo music for the viola da gamba, passing on his knowledge and writing books. More specifically, he composes music in connection with places and themes that are close to his heart or awaken his sensibilities, and writes books in connection with his artist residencies. He would like to share his creations with all of you.

And before that…

Alongside a sporting childhood that led him to become a PE teacher, a mountain leader and a doctoral student in educational science, he has always played music, ever since the age of 9.

After studying classical and electric guitar for 10 years, notably with Cyril Achard, he went on to study the viola da gamba for 12 years at the Conservatoire d’Aix-en-Provence with Sylvie Moquet, herself a pupil of Jordi Savall. He also took courses with José Vazquez, Jérôme Hantaï, Coen Engelhard and Victor Aragon. And he has played extensively with the celebrated harpsichordist Yvon Repérant.

In the Baroque style, on bass viol, violone and dessus, he has had the pleasure of accompanying some fifteen Baroque ensembles, including : L’ensemble Baroque de Toulouse, Antiphona, Repères Baroques, l’Ensemble Vocal Claire Garrone, la Chorale Universitaire de Montpellier, l’Ensemble Vocal de Montpellier, Les Festes d’Orphée, les Musiciens de Cythère, Les Fêtes de l’Astre, l’Ensemble Capella Monteverdi, Amarillys, B-A Bach, Eurydice, Le Madrigal de Nîmes, l’Ensemble Vocal Lucien Basse. He has also taken part in 3 Avignon Festivals.

A fan of all styles of music, he has also composed and performed on albums of African music with Amadou Baldé, Hip Hop with the group No, children’s songs with Héloïse Combes, and Pop with Frank Rabeyrolles.

As you read these few lines, you may be wondering: how does one go from PE teacher to violinist? In his case, it was thanks to psychoanalysis, which enabled him to refocus on his ‘Kern’. “Kern” means core, heart, in German and English. A core above all made up of emptiness. Kern is also a homophony of the mountain cairn, a re-father. And “Kern” can also be understood as “Cas eux errent haine”. Now that you know a little more about him, we hope you enjoy discovering his music.