Paul Posnak
Encyclopedia
Paul Posnak is an American
pianist
and music academic. He is noted for playing repertoires mixing twentieth century American music with European romantic classics, ranging from George Gershwin
to Frédéric Chopin
, from classical to jazz. His transcriptions and performances of the original improvisations of Gershwin, Fats Waller
and Jelly Roll Morton
have gained him international attention.
Posnak is Professor of Keyboard Performance, and Director of the Accompanying/Chamber Music Program at the University of Miami
's Frost School of Music
. His parallel international career as a concert pianist began with a scholarship to the Juilliard
Preparatory School of Music at the age of eight. He earned Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral degrees at Juilliard. He won the Loeb Prize, and First Prizes in the International J.S. Bach Competition and the Concert Artists Guild Competition. He has performed at the White House
, the US Supreme Court
, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; at Carnegie Hall
and Alice Tully Hall
s in New York
; and throughout Europe, South America, and Asia. He has worked with many world-renowned vocalists, including Luciano Pavarotti
and Jennie Tourel
, and has performed and recorded with many of the world's leading chamber ensembles. His recordings include solo and chamber
works for labels such as EMI, Naxos, Vox, and Arabesque. He was the featured pianist in a biographical documentary on Chopin (1999), directed by documentary film maker Anthony Allegro. He is artist-in-residence, leading master-classes at the Musique-Cordiale
festival in France and has been associated for many years with other festivals in Germany
and at Salzburg
, Austria
.
Posnak is known for his own improvisations and note-for-note transcriptions of the great American jazz pianist-composers of the 1920s and 1930s. He transcribed the original solo improvisations of George Gershwin and Thomas "Fats" Waller from the old recordings and radio broadcasts. His transcriptions of 16 of Thomas "Fats" Waller's greatest solos have been published by Hal Leonard.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and music academic. He is noted for playing repertoires mixing twentieth century American music with European romantic classics, ranging from George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
to Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
, from classical to jazz. His transcriptions and performances of the original improvisations of Gershwin, Fats Waller
Fats Waller
Fats Waller , born Thomas Wright Waller, was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer...
and Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe , known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, bandleader and composer....
have gained him international attention.
Posnak is Professor of Keyboard Performance, and Director of the Accompanying/Chamber Music Program at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
's Frost School of Music
Frost School of Music
The Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music or Frost School of Music of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, known from 1926 to 2003 as University of Miami School of Music, is a music school in the United States....
. His parallel international career as a concert pianist began with a scholarship to the Juilliard
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
Preparatory School of Music at the age of eight. He earned Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral degrees at Juilliard. He won the Loeb Prize, and First Prizes in the International J.S. Bach Competition and the Concert Artists Guild Competition. He has performed at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, the US Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
and Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
s in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
; and throughout Europe, South America, and Asia. He has worked with many world-renowned vocalists, including Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
and Jennie Tourel
Jennie Tourel
Jennie Tourel was a Russian-American operatic mezzo-soprano, known for her work in both opera and recital performances....
, and has performed and recorded with many of the world's leading chamber ensembles. His recordings include solo and chamber
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
works for labels such as EMI, Naxos, Vox, and Arabesque. He was the featured pianist in a biographical documentary on Chopin (1999), directed by documentary film maker Anthony Allegro. He is artist-in-residence, leading master-classes at the Musique-Cordiale
Musique-Cordiale
The Musique-Cordiale Festival Musiques en Liberté is the name for an international festival of music and song and for a series of other musical events in France and Britain. It grew from a dream of making music and encouraging musical appreciation at the highest level in the most conducive...
festival in France and has been associated for many years with other festivals in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and at Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
Posnak is known for his own improvisations and note-for-note transcriptions of the great American jazz pianist-composers of the 1920s and 1930s. He transcribed the original solo improvisations of George Gershwin and Thomas "Fats" Waller from the old recordings and radio broadcasts. His transcriptions of 16 of Thomas "Fats" Waller's greatest solos have been published by Hal Leonard.