Pianist who began playing at the age of seven and attended the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music, from whence he graduated at the top of his class, summa cum laude. He performed in Europe for the first time when he was just seventeen years old.
In 1978, he was discovered by Luiz de Moura Castro, who heard him playing in the Sheraton in Hartford, Connecticut. Luiz told him he was good at what he did, but he could do so much more. Paul screwed his courage and called the professor and spent the next ten years gleaning whatever expertise he could from him.
As a result, he has managed to carve a niche for himself as a versatile keyboardist who is equally at home with the classics, jazz, and Tin Pan Alley. One of his first major endeavors was a comprehensive recording of George Gershwin’s music for solo piano. Many of these works were featured on the national TV program, Gershwin by Bisaccia. Gershwin also figures into some of his other CDs, such as An American in Paris, The Great American Piano, The Great American Piano Revisited, and Ragtime Lullabies. Fittingly, Paul was selected to play “Rhapsody in Blue” at the christening of a new theatre near the location of Gershwin’s own rendering of his famous concert piece in New York.
In addition to his playing, Paul has been active in other arenas in the musical world. He has served on the jury for The International Simone Belsky Competition, as well as similar events at his alma mater and the University of Connecticut. Paul also teaches piano to students of varying difficulty levels and has served in a capacity of guest lecturer at Trinity College and Colby College.
In 2003, the Hartt School of Music named him Alumnus of the Year and that directly resulted in the establishment of a Paul Bisaccia Day by the governor of Connecticut.
Paul Bisaccia recordings
Adeste Fidelis as March of the Three Kings from Christmas Tree Suite (Weihnachtsbaum) (John Francis Wade/Franz Liszt/Traditional)
Towerhill TH-72002 (CD: Paul Bisaccia – Classic Christmas, Jazz Christmas)
Here he is performing Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag”….
Sources:
- http://paulbisaccia.com/
- http://www.concertartists.com/PB.html
- http://www.mp3.com/artist/paul-bisaccia/summary/
- http://articles.courant.com/2004-02-27/features/0402270223_1_gershwin-piano-transcription-hartt-school
- http://articles.courant.com/2004-02-27/features/0402270223_1_gershwin-piano-transcription-hartt-school/2
- http://www.daytonphilharmonic.com/content.jsp?articleId=927
- Liner notes: Classic Christmas – Jazz Christmas