Joseph Alessi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph Alessi is a world-renowned, primarily classical trombonist. He has been Principal Trombone for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra since 1985 and is on the faculty of the Juilliard School. In recognition to his influence in the field, in 2002 he was winner of the International Trombone Association's annual award.
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[edit] History
Joseph Alessi, Jr. was born in 1959 in Detroit, Michigan and attended high school in San Rafael, California. His father, Joseph Alessi, Sr., was a professional trumpet player and his mother sang in the Metropolitan Opera chorus, so fine music was heard from an early age at home. Lessons from his father on trombone led to winning an audition with the San Francisco Ballet orchestra when he was only 16. A year later he enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia), where he studied from 1977 to 1980.
In his third year at Curtis, he was asked by one of his teachers (M. Dee Stewart) to fill his place in the Philadelphia Orchestra as 2nd Trombone while they auditioned for the permanent job. He won the position permanently and stayed for another couple of years, followed by a season at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra before winning the audition for principal trombone at the New York Philharmonic in Spring 1985.
Joseph Alessi made his solo debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1990, when he performed the Fantasy for Trombone by Creston. In 1992, he performed the world premier of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Christopher Rouse Trombone Concerto which they also recorded on CD.
He has devoted a portion of his time to teaching, holding a faculty position at the Juilliard School in New York, New York, numerous appearances as clinician and runs a ten day intensive trombone workshop in the summer, known as the "Alessi Seminar".
[edit] Playing Style
Joseph Alessi's playing is often noted for refined musicianship, a particularly rich sound quality and complete technical control. He embodies the American style with a clean, singing tone and occasional vibrato. His so-called "heavy" approach to the sound is helped with a large instrument, an Edwards 0.547", and mouthpiece, his own design but similar to Bach 3G. The music he chooses to play encompasses is concentrated on romantic and modern (but mainly tonal) music, whilst also developing his jazz playing.
[edit] Discography
The recordings that Joseph Alessi has made include the following:
- Illuminations, Joe Alessi with the University of New Mexico Wind Symphony, DCD-367
- Four of a Kind 2, Take me out to the ball game, Joe Alessi, Blair Bollinger, Scott Hartman, and Mark Lawrence, Summit Records, DCD-345
- Trombonastics, Summit Records, DCD-314
- An American Celebration; Volume II' including live recording of 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, performed with the University of New Mexico Wind Symphony, Summit Records, DCD-271
- Four of a Kind, Music for Trombone Quartet, Joe Alessi, Blair Bollinger, Scott Hartman, and Mark Lawrence, Summit Records, DCD-146
- Beyond the End of the Century by 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!, by Joseph Alessi, Edward Neumeister, and James E. Pugh
