Paul Paccione is a US composer, native of Brooklyn, New York. Lyricism, original instrumentation, contrapuntal sophistication and lucidity of expression mark the man’s music. Find out more about the Brooklynite’s life and creative achievements on i-brooklyn.
Mastering composition
Paccione’s early musical prowess was tapped by his affinity for 1950s-1960s pop music. While pursuing classical guitar studies at the Mannes School of Music, his music theory teacher in his first year, E. Richards, brought him into the contemporary music community. Paccione was spurred and encouraged to compose. This, added to Paccione’s own aspiration to communicate through sounds, led him to dive into discovering composition. Not long after, he embarked on a personal composition course with H. Gaber. He taught Paul to follow his musical inclinations. The University of California (San Diego) helped him to advance his training. Paccione was also given private instruction by K. Gaburo. The latter centered on the many facets of the musical lyrics. Paul later worked with W. Hibbard (conductor and composer) at the University of Iowa and was his aide at the Center for New Music. Hibbard’s immaculately perceptive ear and instrumentation discerned Paccione’s composing vocal. P. Oliveros, B. Rands and R. Shapey also gave him composing classes.
Renaissance vocal music
Asides from his mentors, I. Stravinsky was among the previous century’s melodists with music and ideas that had a substantial impact on Paccione’s music. The accuracy of Stravinsky’s instrumentation and his identification of the role of vibrant musical heritage affected Paccione. A. Webern’s music’s contrapuntal precision and his conviction that musical texture is a natural process impacted Paul as well. C. Debussy brought fluidity and a sensual translation of sound. E. Satie introduced controlled reticence. P. Paccione also had the honor to train with M. Feldman. The latter had a scrupulous feel for instruments combined with precise pitch positioning. J. Cage taught him to trust his own musical senses, his inquisitiveness and be open to all forms of composing and influences not related to music (incl. art, humanities and literary works). Plus, Paccione withheld an abiding affinity and passion for Renaissance operatic music, notably English one.
Opera The World is Round
Paul Paccione is a working tunesmith with works extensively and regularly played on a national and international level. He is distinguishable as a composer with individuality and the skill to show the latter in more than one musical idiom. His music is hailed as constantly riveting and extremely evocative. In 2014 (December), the first productions of Paccione’s opera The World is Round (based on G. Stein’s book) were featured by Theatre and Dance of Western Illinois University. The work was nominated for the 2015 American Opera Award.
Paccione started at Western Illinois University’s music department in 1984. He was a lecturer in music theory and composition. At Western, he got six Faculty Excellence Awards and was marked as the College of Fine Arts’ 1988 Outstanding Teacher. In 1988 and 2012, he earned Western’s College of Fine Arts’ Outstanding Creativity Award. Here, Paul founded the yearly New Music Festival.