Cosmo Buono is a native of New Jersey and completed his piano studies at New York University, Bard College, and The Juilliard School. As a soloist, he has been heard in North America, Europe, and Japan, including performances with the Munich Philharmonic and the Danish State Radio Orchestra.

Buono is the Artistic Director of The Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition which he helped to found in 2003 with the late David Bradshaw. The two pianists earned a reputation as specialists in literature written for one piano four hands and for two pianos. With a professional collaboration that lasted more than thirty years, they did much to restore awareness of rare works written by Chopin, Liszt, Rossini, and Schubert. Continuing a tradition of distinguished piano duos that had begun with Liszt-Chopin and Debussy-Casella, they played in major capitals and festivals throughout the world including New York's Alice Tully Hall, Wigmore Hall in London, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and the Mostly Mozart Festival, all while creating a discography that includes Grammy-nominated recordings.

In addition to performing, Mr. Buono has distinguished himself as one of the foremost teachers of the Leschetizky Method in the United States. Leschetizky was known for producing pianists capable of a resonant, almost voice-like quality on the piano, and it is that same technique which is part of Mr. Buono's overall pedagogy. Advocating rich, expressive playing, he discourages students from note-perfect performances that lack enthusiasm in favor of a complete understanding and communication of the musical idiom of the composer.

Mr. Buono continues to direct the Bradshaw & Buono Conservatory and is a frequent collaborator with vocalists and instrumentalists for recitals. He is the Chairman and CEO of Alexander & Buono International, the parent company of The Alexander &a Buono Competitions (ABC), Alexander & Buono Artists, and The Alexander and Buono Festival of Music. He is also Vice-President of The Alexander & Buono Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation he helped to co-found in 2006, which raises money for scholarships and study grants for winners of ABC through The Annual ABC Gala held each year at Carnegie Hall.