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 EDUCATION
Manhattan School of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts Degree 1991
The Juilliard School, Master of Music 1982
Conservatorio G.B. Martini, Diploma di Perfezionamento 1977
Bologna, Italy Summa cum Laude
TEACHERS
Nadia Boulanger (Paris)
The Fine Arts Quartet (Master Classes)
John Browning (Doctoral Studies at Manhattan School of Music)
Sergio Perticaroli (Rome, Bologna and Salzburg)
Josef Raieff (The Juilliard School)
Rosalyn Tureck (Master Classes)
Andrè Watts (Master Classes)
Naomi Zaslav (University of Wisconsin)
SOLO PERFORMANCES
Soloist, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Soloist, Brooklyn Heights Symphony Orchestra
Soloist, Milwaukee Catholic Symphony Orchestra,
Soloist, Manhattan Contemporary Music Ensemble
Town Hall, New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Tours of Italy, Austria and The Netherlands
Sala Bossi, Bologna, Italy
Mozarteum Konzertsahl, Salzburg, Austria
De Bayard Concert Hall, Breda Holland
VARA Radio, The Netherlands
RAI, Italy
Appearances on Radio and Television in New York (WQXR), Chicago
(WFMT), Milwaukee (WFMR), Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Frèdèric Chopin Piano Recital Series, Macalaster College,
Minneapolis/St. Paul
Manhattan Contemporary Ensemble
Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra
Steinway Hall, New York City
American Landmark Festivals, United States Department of the
Interior
Bruno Walter Auditorium, Lincoln Center Library
Donnell Library, New York City
Brooklyn College First Saturday Faculty Recital Series
The Nicholas Roerich Museum, New York City
Ossining Public Library Recital Series, Ossining, New York
The Spanish Institute, New York City
The Victorian Society, New York City
Chateau La Gesse Music Festival (Toulouse, France)
Goethe Institute of Milwaukee
National Society of Arts and Letters
Trinity Church Concert Series, New York City (St. Paul’s
Chapel)AWARDS
SCHOLARSHIPS
Manhattan School of Music 1983-1985
The Juilliard School 1980-1982
International Summer Musiek Academy Hochschule "Mozarteum"
1978-1979, Salzburg, Austria
Conservatorio G.B. Martini, Bologna, Italy 1976-1977
PRIZES
GRAND PRIZE Young Artists Award, The Coalition of Italo-American
Associations, 1985
FIRST PRIZE The 1985 International Piano Recording Competition
WINNER Stravinsky Concerto Competition, Manhattan School of
Music, 1985
FINALIST Great Neck Symphony Concerto Competition, 1983
FIRST PRIZE The 1983 International Piano Recording Competition
FINALIST The National Society of Arts and Letters Piano Career
Award, 1982
SECOND PRIZE Viotti-Valsesia International Piano Competition
for Romantic Music, 1982, Varallo, Italy
FINALIST Palma D'Oro International Piano Competition, 1977,
Finale Ligure, Italy
FIRST PRIZE International Piano Competition for Young Musicians,
Stresa, Italy, 1977
FACULTY POSITIONS
Brooklyn College Preparatory Center 1990 to present for the
Performing Arts
Bloomingdale School of Music 1999 - 2001
Manhattan School of Music, Visiting Lecturer 1985-91 and
Graduate Seminars in Piano Literature
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music 1984-1985
Manhattan School of Music, Adjunct Faculty, Theory Dept.
1984-1985
Manhattan School of Music, Teaching Fellowship 1983-1985
Stedelijk Muziek Akademie 1977-1979
Valkenswaard, The Netherlands
Private Teaching Studio 1980 to Present
DISSERTATION
The Iberia Suite of Isaac Albèniz: Transcendentalisms in a
Flamenco World
AFFILIATIONS
Treasurer and Secretary - Mu Phi Epsilon International Alumni
Fraternity, New York City Alumni Chapter
LANGUAGES
Fluent in Italian and Dutch
BIO IN PROSE:
Paul Verona has performed extensively through-out the United
States and Europe. He has appeared as soloist with the Milwaukee
Symphony Orchestra, the Manhattan Contemporary Ensemble, the
Brooklyn Heights Orchestra, the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra,
and the Catholic Symphony Orchestra of Wisconsin. He has
performed on a variety of recital series, including the Frederic
Chopin Society Recital Series in St. Paul, Minnesota where he
premiered the Toccata and Fugue by Minnesota composer, Natalie
Synhaivsky. Mr. Verona has performed twice in recital at The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as at the Spanish Institute.
He has performed numerous recitals on the Donnell Library's
Recital Series, as well as at the Nicholas Roerich Museum, the
Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center Library, St. Paul's
Chapel, and Town Hall. Two tours of Europe have brought him wide
critical acclaim.
He has been heard on Classical Radio Station WFMT in Chicago as
part of the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series as well as on
radio and television stations in New York, Washington D.C.,
Wisconsin, Utah, and Maryland. He has also performed for the
VARA Radio in Holland and RAI in Italy. Mr. Verona has received
numerous awards including the Viotti-Valsesia International
Piano Competition for Romantic Music, the National Society of
Arts and Letters Piano Career Award and has twice been awarded
first prize in the International Piano Recording Competition.
Mr. Verona holds a Degree from the G. B. Martini Conservatory in
Bologna, Italy, a Masters Degree from the Juilliard School and a
Doctorate in Piano from the Manhattan School of Music where he
studied with John Browning. During that period he was also
chosen to participate in a series of Master Classes with the
pianists Andre Watts and Rosalyn Tureck. Mr. Verona has been an
active teacher in the New York City area since 1980 and has been
a member of the piano faculty at the Brooklyn College
Preparatory Center for the Performing Arts since 1990.
I am a staunch advocate of the school of Russian piano playing
which was brought to this country in the early 20th century by
Josef and Rosina Lhevinne. Since their pedagogical influence has
been renowned far and wide, I have had the great opportunity to
be a student of three people who studied with them at the
Juilliard School (Naomi Zaslav, Josef Raieff and John Browning).
I approach teaching very seriously.
Notwithstanding the level of the student, I try to focus on
economy of motion and technique as a means to an end (not an end
in itself) through via several ways: one is the adherence to
playing with loose wrists and elasticity for very speedy
passagework and singing (sometimes outloud if necessary) for a
deep tone and beautiful legato. I am also an advocate of the
Lisztian school of piano playing (transcendental technique) and
try to help my students get the largest possible sound out of
the piano without being strident or abrasive. Not only that, but
I try to cultivate the use of a good ear through various ear
training techniques (solfege being the prime focus in addition
to rhythmic exercises varying from simple to very complex
rhythmic patterns).
I also stress the importance in taking more than a casual
interest in all of the other arts; exposure to literature and
painting especially has always been an important factor
in attaining a fine balance in one's playing and I have had a
fair amount of success in nurturing my students' appreciation
for other art forms which, depending on the age of the student,
may not necessarily have been part of any other educational
curriculum.
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