Born in Paris in a family of musicians he studies the piano at seven, at twelve he discovers and teaches himself the guitar and has a passion for its electrical side through blues, rock and roll and jazz.
Then he turns to classical guitar and studies under the masters Alberto Ponce, Arnaud Dumond (two Excellence Prizes in National Schools) and Léo Brouwer.
At the same time he plays in jazz clubs, on stage, for television and in recording studios (Stephane Grapelli, Hugues Aufray, Georges Moustaki...) before devoting himself to the creation of his own repertoire (30 records under his name) throughout his own compositions, his arrangements of John Mc Laughlin's and Astor Piazzolla's musics and lately a huge work of harmonisation of the pieces of the Irish bard Turlough O'Carolan.
Through his compositions and his arrangements Pascal Bournet opens up new horizons to the repertoire of the classical guitar and throws an original light on the cultures he encounters during his musical trips.
As a concert artist he is invited by many festivals and embassies, by Radio France, FR3, Mezzo.
He also devotes some of his time to teaching and has published a series of guitar manuals (Van de Velde, Henry Lemoine and Transatlantiques editions).
Reviews
Télérama
Turlough O'Carolan ffff
It is pure magic (François Gorin 2016)
Irish Music Magazine
Classical Guitar
The Spirit of Ireland. Pascal Bournet Consort
Pascal Bournet has succeeded admirably in his presentation here of some of Carolan's finest tunes performed by four first-rate musicians who are obviously enjoying themselves with this music. Steve Marsh - Septembre 2003
Guitarist Acoustic
Solace. Pascal Bournet Consort. Mandala/Harmonia Mundi
Trad Magazine
O'Carolan, the Irish Bard
Solace
Le Mague Journal
Solace Pascal Bournet MAN 5077 - Harmonia Mundi
Les Cahiers de la Guitare
To interpret means to respect and to bring back to life, to set the music free as much as the listener, this is what Pascal Bournet does : subtle rhythms and vibrant colours..
Arnaud Dumond
Le Monde
Bournet shows enviable ease to go beyond the technical constraints of the classical guitar and reach true expressiveness. Gilles Torjmann
Axe libre
Jasmin flower. Pascal Bournet. Mandala/Harmonia Mundi
One more time Pascal Bournet's latest opus shows the richness and versatility of the musician. Here the outstanding guitarist takes us to China either with his own compositions or his own arrangements with the evocative power which is the sign of the greatest. . Daniel Leduc
Armor
Pascal Bournet reinterprets O'Carolan
A fantastic CD dedicated to O'Carolan's tunes harmonized and arranged by Pascal Bournet. A pure marvel! Pascal Jaugeon
Ouest France
Concert du 14/04/2012 Festival Musicalinxe
The Duo Conversa has presented an outstanding programme, an authentic and universal dialogue played with subtlety and elegance and achieved with breathtaking skill in front of a vast and enthusiastic audience. Gérard Peyroux
La Dépêche
Concert Festival en Albret 2000I
Ouest France
Concert in Fontevraud
A virtuoso who masters his instrument utterly, using all its possibilities skillfully and overcoming its difficulties.. Claude Maillard
Le Télégramme
Concert Festival en Trégor 27/08/2001
Pascal Bournet and Benoit Sauvé, two exceptional musicians, have performed this refined, colourful and original repertoire brilliantly in front of a large and receptive audience.. P.H.
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