Galane.USA@gmail.com
BIOGRAPHY
Bernard Galane Grill is an Austrian American Drummer, Artist, Fashion Model, Film Actor, Entrepreneur and Composer.
He was born in Tulln an der Donau, a small suburb town close to cultural mecca Vienna, Austria and discovered his love for music, movies and art at a very young age. His parents were very supportive of his early musical education. Starting out on piano and early all round musical training at Musikschule Tulln around the age of 4, he later got inspired by his brother to pick up the drums, which turned into a great passion and an intense practice schedule of up to 9 hours per day. Bernard performed all over Europe as a child prodigy drummer of a successful Latin Rock/Pop Band named "New Kids On The Drums And the Session Brothers". The group signed with BMG Ariola after winning the PopODrom Band Contest and landed a hit in the European charts with a cover version of "Pass The Dutchie" by Musical Youth as well as an endorsement with Diesel Jeans when Bernard was only 12 years old. The band also played at Euro Disney Land in Paris, France, appeared in "Die Großen Zehn", a big European Television show and as an opening act for US Band Extreme, Chasney Hawkes and Canadian Pop Star Brian Adams.
While attending Musikgymnasium Wien, a mostly classical music based grammar school, he won many national competitions as a soloist for Niederoesterreichische Musikschulwerke and a Europe wide contest organized by German Sticks Magazine with American Drummer Bruce Becker as a judge. As a teenager, Bernard started to work as a session drummer in central Europe and also got accepted to the University of Music and performing Arts Vienna as one of the youngest students ever. He later switched to the prestigious Conservatory of Vienna where he earned his Masters Degree in a record time of only 3 years and is listed among other notable alumni like Austrian Pop Star Falco and Keyboarder Joe Zawinul. He also studied at the Drummer's Collective in New York City and became more interested in complex, Jazz oriented music, especially the work of Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul's Weather Report, Chick Corea, as well as classical composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig Van Beethoven. Inspired by his personal fellow Austrian heroes Joe Zawinul and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bernard moved to Los Angeles, California right after graduating the Conservatory to expand his musical career.
Los Angeles
After a short period in Los Angeles Bernard was invited by legendary composer and producer, former Frank Zappa Keyboarder Peter Wolf, to record the soundtrack for the animation movie the "Nutcracker and the Mouse King". He also appeared on albums with such notable musicians as Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Scott Henderson, Vinnie Colaiuta (Sting), Tony Brock (Rod Stewart, Elton John), Luis Conte (Phil Collins), Ric Fierabracci (Chick Corea), Jamie Kime (Dwezeel Zappa), Brett Garsed, T.J. Helmerich, Rafael Moreira (Pink) and many more.
During his early Los Angeles years, Bernard played lots of live shows in and around Los Angeles with many top session players and became a young professor for drums at the prestigious music college Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA while in his early twenties. He also studied intensively with legendary drum teacher Freddie Gruber which led to a close friendship and completely changed his technical approach to modern drumming.
Bernard also received a letter of recommendation and support from English Pop Superstar Phil Collins for his US Immigration process. After getting his green card, he became a US Citizen in 2011 and was granted Dual Citizenship by the Lower Austrian Governor Erwin Proell in the "Cultural Interest of Austria".
Bernard is author of a 8 Drum Set Book Encyclopedia named the "8 Essential Areas Of Modern Drumming" as well as creator of 10 Drumset Education DVDs. The Collection consists of "Rhythm Reading Concepts", "Time Signature Concepts", "Hand Technique", "Foot Technique", "Hand and Foot Combinations", "4 Limb Independence", "Rhythmic Pyramid Concepts" and "Brush Technique".
Drum Influences and Teachers
Bernard Galane's drumming is influenced by Jazz and Fusion Drummers such as Buddy Rich, Dave Weckl, Billy Cobham, Dennis Chambers and Vinnie Colaiuta. He also studied with world class players like Jojo Mayer, Thomas Lang, Marco Minnemann, Steve Smith, Ed Thigpen, Ralph Humphrey, Joe Porcaro and others.
Other Musical Influences
Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Falco, Count Basie, Prince, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Joe Zawinul, Frank Zappa, Clifford Brown, Annie Lennox, David Bowie, The Beatles, Queen, Earth Wind and Fire, Animals As Leaders, Mike Stern, Michael Brecker, John Pattitucci, Franz Schubert, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
After brief endorsements with Meinl Cymbals, Agner Swiss Drumsticks, Vic Firth Sticks and Ayotte Drums, Bernard started his own company "Galane Custom Drums and Cymbals" providing high end Drums, Cymbals and Sticks in 2006.
Artwork
Bernard is also a dedicated fine artist who specializes mostly in Oil and Acrylic painting. He created more than 400 artworks.
He is mostly influenced by the work of Leonardo DaVinci, Salvador Dali, Ernst Fuchs, Pablo Picasso, and Peter Paul Rubens.
Acting and Modeling
During his early Los Angeles years Bernard started acting in commercials and modeling for car, beauty and lifestyle brands like Redken, Wella, V76 by Vaughn, Hilton, Kia and Hyundai. He studied acting at the New Collective Acting Studio in LA and motivated by his teacher Greg Braun, decided to pursue more dramatic roles besides his career in Music.
External Links
Personal Website: www.Galane.net
Bernard Galane's Filmography: IMDb
Galane Art Gallery
Bernard Galane on Instagram and Facebook