Chronological Biography
Paula Christa Brusky was born 11 July 1981 in Appleton, WI, USA. The youngest of three children she was raised in an environment where Elvis and Broadway musicals were the listening fare. Her musical studies began on the piano at age 8, shortly after she became a founding member of the Appleton Girl Choir. At the age of 12, Brusky began the bassoon; two years later she was enrolled into Lawrence University’s Arts Academy to study bassoon with Monty Perkins for the next five years. Concurrently, she studied voice with Rhonda Cundy and theory with a Lawrence student.
Brusky earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University, studying with Robert Barris. While at Northwestern, Brusky continued to study voice with Elizabeth Fischer-Monastero. Additionally, Brusky completed a music business certificate minor and was a charter member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She graduated from Northwestern cum laude in 2003 and stayed in Chicago to study with Dennis Michel.
Brusky obtained her Master of Music degree from Indiana University in 2004. While at Indiana she studied with Kim Walker and Arthur Weisberg, completed an independent study of bassoon repertoire, and furthered her music business skills with a business cognate minor.
In 2005 Brusky moved to Sydney, Australia to begin her PhD at the University of Sydney after winning the Endeavor International Postgraduate Research Scholarship and International Postgraduate Award. In addition to this honor, Brusky was accepted as the first candidate through the new PhD in Performance degree. While at Sydney, Brusky studied with Kim Walker and Andrew Barnes, worked as a research associate on a bassoon music library project, played extensively around Sydney, and taught bassoon at many locations in the area. Her dissertation, "Performance Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Bassoon Players" was submitted January 2009 and passed with minor revisions May 2009. Brusky's final PhD recital was completed on 16 June 2009 and received a mark of "high distinction."
Away from music, Brusky is an avid scuba diver and has completed over 180 dives. Brusky's family raised her to be a diehard Green Bay Packers fan and she never misses a game! Brusky is also a voracious reader and enjoys surfing, cooking, and traveling. Brusky moved back to the USA in July 2009.