Faculty Portrait: Ernest Barretta

As part of this year’s Pre-College Centennial, Pre-College faculty member Ernest Barretta and his former student Anna Royzman will perform together on November 10 in Paul Hall. Barretta's faculty portrait follows. Click here to read Royzman's staff portrait.

>Learn more about the Juilliard Pre-College centennial—on November 5—here 

Pre-College Piano Faculty

When he was 4, McKeesport, Pennsylvania, native Ernest Barretta was so enchanted by a flamenco guitar performance he heard that he went home and “scribbled a piece” he called “Spanish Song” and “poked it out on a chord organ.” He’s been at it ever since, having earned his piano performance bachelor’s from Oberlin, master’s from the University of the Arts, and DMA from Peabody. He joined the Juilliard Pre-College faculty in 2000 and is the music director at St. Joseph Church in Baltimore; he’s also taught at Towson University and Peabody. Next month he’ll be performing some four-hands repertoire with one of his former students, Anna Royzman.

Who was the teacher or mentor who most inspired you when you were growing up?
My third grade teacher, Phyllis Ambroziak, who encouraged me to explore intellectually wherever my curiosity led; and Maria Caruso, with whom I studied piano in my teens—she instilled a love of the piano to go along with my love of music.

What was the first recording that you remember?
The earliest recollection I have is of hearing a recording of the Beatles’ “The Fool on the Hill” and becoming incredibly sad—I think I was around 3 years old. It must have been the first time I realized how powerfully music can affect emotions.

Three pieces of advice for Pre-College students?

• Everything toward which you aspire in your studies at the Pre-College should be for the sake of music itself; your love of music should be all-consuming.
• Be creative in all that you do—write and/or improvise music, even if you do not feel particularly good at it.
• Make practicing a way of life that brings you joy and fulfillment, not just a necessary evil that must be tolerated.

How did you select the repertoire you and Anna are playing together on November 10, which includes Shostakovich’s Concertino for two pianos, Ravel’s Mother Goose for piano four hands, and Gustavino’s Tres Romances Argentinos?
Anna is such a warmhearted, good-natured person—I wanted to do rep that reflects those same qualities.

What are your nonmusic interests or hobbies?
I love to cook (and discover new cuisines); I’ve always enjoyed sketching; I follow professional sports (ice hockey in particular); I also enjoy hiking and spending time with nature, and studying the natural world.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
My first gig as a musician was as an organist—at 8 years of age I entertained patrons at a local restaurant on a three-manual Wurlitzer during the holiday season.

What are you reading/listening to/following/watching?
I’m reading The Power Broker, Robert Caro’s biography of Robert Moses, and listening to Adrian and Alfred Brendel’s complete works by Beethoven for cello and piano. I also listen to stand-up comedy almost daily (thanks to XM radio), and currently I thoroughly enjoy watching Sacha Baron Cohen’s Who Is America? series on Showtime.

Any meal, prepared by anyone, what would it be?
Impossible to choose just one! (A private dinner done by Alain Ducasse would be a strong candidate, though.) The secret to great food is true of music as well: top-quality ingredients, expertly crafted and combined, will produce exceptional results.

If you weren’t in this career, what would you be doing?
I would be a writer, or visual artist.

What question do you always get asked?
Do you prefer to be called Ernest, or Ernie? (Answer: neither, really, but I usually go by Ernie.)

What do you wish you’d get asked?
Would you like to open the ’45 Mouton Rothschild now, or wait a bit longer?