 Polisi studied the bassoon with his late father, and performed through his undergraduate years.He also studied with at the Conservatoire de Paris, France, from 1973 to 1974.Polisi was the Executive Officer of the Yale School of Music (1976–1980), then served in the capacity as Dean of the Music Department at the Manhattan School of Music (1983–1984), and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music from 1983-1984.