Album Notes

Anthony & Joseph Paratore
Biography


On one piano or two, Anthony and Joseph Paratore are considered one of today's foremost keyboard duos. They have appeared on numerous celebrity series throughout the United States, and with such orchestras as the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, London's BBC Symphony, Amsterdam Philharmonic, and many more. Their work with these orchestras has brought them together with many fine conductors, including Boulez, Solti, von Dohnanyi, Salonen, and Zinman. They are frequent guests at the festivals of Berlin, Salzburg, and Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart, among others.

The duo has appeared on a number of television programs in the USA and Europe, including NBC's "Today Show" and the "Tonight Show," as well as National Public Radio's "All Things Considered." PBS TV specials include the 20th Anniversary of the Boston Pops with John Williams, "Piano Pizzazz from Wolf Trap," and their own special program titled "The Paratores: Two Brothers, Four Hands."

Born in Boston of Italian-Amerian descent, Anthony and Joseph come from a close-knit musical family. They began their careers as solo pianists: Joseph having appeared with the Boston Symphony at 17 years of age, and Anthony having toured South America. In 1974, after studies at Boston University and Juliard, they became the only American duo-pianists ever to capture the first prize in the Munich International Music Competition. Following this victory, they decided to combine their individual talents and concentrate their efforts on the repertoire for one and two pianos, and revive the art of duo-piano playing. This event helped launch their career as one of the world's leading duo-piano teams.

In addition to their great recordings of traditional repertoire on Four Winds, the Paratores have gained a whole new audience with their two gorgeous "cross over" romantic classical CDs in our popular Classic Romance series.