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Giselle Brodsky is the Co-Founder, Director and chief artistic adviser of Patrons of Exceptional Artists, Inc. a non-profit foundation dedicated to the support of exceptionally gifted performing artists. In 1997 she co-founded the Miami International Piano Festival and has been the Artistic Director ever since.
A FOCUSSED AND DEDICATED VISIONARY
Giselle Brodsky’s vision is to present, support and document the best new talent emerging on the classical piano scene today, occasionally identifying outstanding performers on other instruments as well. Twenty -six years ago she envisioned an organization designed to discover, present and support exceptional talent and offer fresh and exciting programs to South Florida audiences. In the Winter 2008 edition of Piano Today Magazine, Stuart Isacoff writes: “Brodsky is an astonishing figure in the music world …. She seems to have a knack for discovering great talent…Ingrid Fliter and Piotr Aderszewski before they each won the Gilmore Award – and taking rare risks to present them to Florida audiences.” Brodsky looks for exceptional artists who, regardless of age or nationality, are profound musicians with both charisma and breadth of musicianship, who have their own distinct voices, who are not only capable of challenging convention but who are able to demonstrate that there are important interpretive ideas still to be expressed both in mainstream and rare repertoire – artists who clearly deserve international careers.
GAINING INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR THE PIANO FESTIVAL:
Because of her successful track record for finding and presenting exceptional artists, Giselle Brodsky receives approximately 30 requests per month plus scores of YouTube links, CDs and DVDs from artists around the globe who want to participate in the festival. These artists understand that a presentation at The Festival is much more that a concert engagement. In the past few years, she has been interviewed and featured in several articles that have appeared in the New York Times, Piano Today, International Piano Magazine, the Miami Herald, and Steinway Magazine.
ESTABLISHING LONG TERM PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH PIANISTS PRESENTED AT THE FESTIVAL:
The relationship doesn’t end when the curtain goes down. Artists know that Brodsky is different from other presenters and that if they are selected to appear at the Festival, they will be provided with world-class performance opportunities and valuable support for their artistic careers over the long haul. They truly become members of the Miami International Piano Festival family. Knowing this, the organizers of some of the most important piano competitions in the world also submit information to Mrs. Brodsky or ask for referrals, as do prominent agents and critics. The continued success of the selected artists who debuted at the Festival – through management contracts, prestigious engagements, etc. – shows that Brodsky’s selection criteria supports the organization’s mission.
A LIFETIME AS A MUSIC EDUCATOR :
Giselle Brodsky was born in La Paz, Bolivia where she got her early musical training with renowned Bolivian composer Gustavo Navarre. She received her Bachelor and Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. Having trained extensively in the Taubman Approach to piano technique since 1972, Mrs. Brodsky has been a member of the faculty of the Golandsky Institute from 1987 till 2011. She pioneered the “Prodigies and Masters of Tomorrow” series as part of the Festival and was invited to participate in the production of a three part documentary that was aired on Channel 4 in Great Britain and P.B.S. television. She collaborated with Rod Williams, the brilliant producer of “The World’s Greatest Musical Prodigies” documentary.
In addition to foundation activities, Mrs. Brodsky is a much sought after piano teacher who has developed new insights into the art of piano playing based on the Taubman Approach and based on her experience, analysis, and observation of great virtuosos. Several of her gifted students have been accepted to study at prestigious conservatories such as Julliard and Curtis Institute, Oberlin, University of Miami and at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel and several pianists have chosen to stay in Miami to be guided by Brodsky. She encourages her students to learn from the artists she has discovered and promoted over the years –such as Kemal Gekic, Ilya Itin, Misha Dacic, Claudio Martinez- Mehner, Walter Ponce, Stephen Beus, Piotr Anderszewsky, Josu De Solaun and Julien Libeer to just name a few. They are not only deep musical thinkers and impressive pianists but also gifted teachers.
THE PIANO ACADEMY- THE CULMINATION OF A LIFETIME OF DEDICATION TO MUSICIANS:
In 2015 Mrs. Brodsky launched The Miami International Piano Festival Academy as the natural offspring of the Miami International Piano Festival. Its creation marked the beginning of one of the important developments in the history of MIPF.
Under her leadership the Miami International Piano Academy expanded its mission and presented seven unique programs in Miami and Italy since 2015. More than 300 young emerging pianists have benefited from the academy and the privilege of working with our artists — the inspiring mentors of the next generation of pianists.
In the summers of 2022 and 2023, the Miami International Piano Festival Academy (MIPFA) hosted triumphant residencies in the historic Briosco region in Milan. Villa Medici afforded participants the unparalleled opportunity to experience the unique collection of original ancient fortepianos and pianos (including square pianos), dating from 1760 and located at the villa.
Profoundly inspired by the enchanting Italian experience, Dr. Vilma Biaggi, a board member and devoted advocate of our programs, decided to bring the magic of the Villa Medici summer academy to our community in Southern Florida launching the first edition of the Winter Academy in January of 2022. Thanks to her support and to the funding and partnership with the city of Miami Beach the Winter Program takes place every year in the month of January.
In the summer of 2024, the MIPFA finally found its permanent in the North of Italy, at the Gustav Mahler Cultural Center in Dobbiaco, in the Italian Alps and offering programs every summer that will go beyond the piano and now offers a special Collaborative Chamber Music Program.
Mrs. Brodsky is a member of the US Music Teacher’s association in addition to Miami-Dade and Broward County and is the Program and Artistic Director of the MIPFA. Mrs. Brodsky is credited with assisting pianists with hand injuries. Her expertise has been instrumental in rehabilitating pianists from hand injuries and her track record is impressive.
