Alissa Musto
Alissa Musto is an American singer, pianist and songwriter. As a child she won piano competitions while placed in older divisions and debuted on the national series America's Most Talented Kid at nine years old. She is best known for being crowned Miss Massachusetts 2016 and competing at the 2017 Miss America Pageant, where she placed in the top 15.
Early life
Growing up in Massachusetts, Alissa Musto started studying classical piano at five years old, inspired by her father, Billy Musto, a professional pianist. Performing pieces by Mozart, Beethoven and Bach, Musto won several piano competitions, talent shows and was featured on local television and news programs including NBC's "Spotlight On the Student Artist". To help her combat stage fright, Musto's father took her to nursing homes where she would regularly perform for the residents. In February 2005, at the age of nine, Musto made her debut on national television, America's Most Talented Kid. She performed a medley of Mozart and Jerry Lee Lewis.Upon returning home from the show, Musto won several large regional talent competitions including New England Performs, Rhode Island's Got Talent and Talent Quest TV Show. Juggling a rigorous academic schedule along with her musical endeavors, Alissa received national recognition as one of four nationwide artists to be sponsored by Music & Arts Center with new musical equipment and scholarships as part of their "Find Your Voice" competition, "Piano Act of the Year" in the Wonderworld TV Golden Ribby Awards, top 3 in the Music On & Up Showcase grand finale, top 10.
Original music
On January 5, 2015, Musto released her debut album, What We Saw From the Piano Bar, the same day her biggest inspiration, Bruce Springsteen, released his debut album in 1973. Immediately following the release, her single “Black Flak” beat out dozens of artists in the MusicToVideo contest and was featured on radio shows and blogs nationally, including SiriusXM radio. One of six participants from over 4,300 submissions, she was also selected for the House of Blues Bringing Down the House Class of 2015 and chosen as the winner of the Justine Magazine Talent Search and Needham Music Awards. After successfully completing the program, Musto was invited to serve on the Music Forward Foundation Alumni Advisory Board and contribute to the Foundation's compilation album.On March 15, 2018, Musto released an acoustic EP entitled "X Post Facto". In addition to being featured on numerous radio shows, blogs and podcasts, the project earned her a nomination for "Songwriter of the Year" in the 2019 New England Music Awards.
Notable performances
Alissa has performed on stages across the northeast and beyond including the House of Blues, the Hard Rock Cafe, Foxwoods Resort & Casino, the Rhode Island Convention Center, the Wang Theatre, Boston's prestige hotels, restaurants, universities and events for Fortune 500 companies, charities and political candidates. She has maintained long-term weekly residencies in the region's premiere venues and is a preferred entertainer within New England's top agencies. She has built a local following as a cast member in the popular Point Street Dueling pianos show, Rhode Island's only rock and roll piano show, and through her weekly piano bar sing-along at the historic Jacob Wirth Restaurant, Boston's second oldest restaurant.From May–October 2017, Alissa was a guest pianist in the Ocean Liners: Glamour, Speed, and Style exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum and performed on 1935 baby grand piano that once graced Normandie's Deauville suite.
As a performer for Billboard On board, the pop piano show aboard Holland America’s luxury cruise ships, and a resident guest entertainer for Princess Cruiselines. Alissa has dazzled audiences while sailing throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Central America, the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.