Joseph Alessi

Joseph Alessi Jr. (* 1959 in Detroit ( Michigan ), USA ) is an American, predominantly classical trombonist . He has been principal trombonist with the New York Philharmonic since 1985 and a teacher at the Juilliard School .

Life

Joseph Alessi Jr. in 1959 in Detroit born and attended high school in San Rafael ( California ). His father, Joseph Alessi Sr. was a professional trumpeter and his mother sang in the Metropolitan Opera choir . His father taught him to play the trombone, which led to the fact that he won the audition for the orchestra of the San Francisco Ballet at the age of 16 . A year later he enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia , where he studied between 1977 and 1980.

During his third year at Curtis he was asked by one of his teachers (M. Dee Stewart) if he would like to temporarily fill his position as second trombonist in the Philadelphia Orchestra . Alessi then also won the official audition, which definitely gave him the position. After a few years in this orchestra, he moved to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for one season before winning the audition as principal trombonist with the New York Philharmonic in the spring of 1985.

In 1990 Joseph Alessi made his debut as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic with the work Fantasy for Trombone by Paul Creston . In 1992 he played the world premiere of Christopher Rouse's Trombone Concerto , which even won a Pulitzer Prize .

Joseph Alessi holds a permanent teaching position at the renowned Juilliard School in New York and he offers a ten-day intensive workshop every summer, which is known as the "Alessi Seminar".

In 2002 he was awarded the International Trombone Association's annual prize.

Play style

Joseph Alessi's trombone playing is often praised for its musicality. It has versatile sound quality and technical control. He embodies the American style with a clear, singing tone and a light vibrato. Its sound is supported by a large instrument, a SEShires, Alessi model and a mouthpiece of its own design (similar to a Bach 3G). His repertoire covers the whole spectrum from baroque to modern composers.

Discography

A selection of recordings with Joseph Alessi:

• Illuminations , Joe Alessi with the University of New Mexico Wind Symphony
• Four of a Kind 2, Take Me Out to the Ball Game , Joe Alessi, Blair Bollinger, Scott Hartman and Mark Lawrence, Summit Records
• Trombonastics , Summit Records
• An American Celebration; Volume II with a live recording of the Rouse Concerto with the New York Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic Special Editions
• New York Legends , Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone, New York Philharmonic, 1998, Cala Records, Ltd
• Slide Area , Joe Alessi with Jonathan Feldman (piano) 1992, Summit Records
• Fandango , Joseph Alessi, Jr. with Philip Smith (trumpet) of the New York Philharmonic and with the University of New Mexico Wind Symphony, Summit Records
• Four of a Kind, Music for Trombone Quartet , Joe Alessi, Blair Bollinger, Scott Hartman and Mark Lawrence, Summit Records
• Beyond the End of the Century , Joseph Alessi and Jonathan Feldman (piano), Summit Records, DCD-123
• Trombones Under the Tree , Summit Records
• Song of Exuberance , 2001, Metro Brass
• Collage, the New York Trombone Quartet Plays! , Joseph Alessi, Edward Neumeister and James Pugh

Web links

• Joseph Alessi's website