Musicians - Joseph Alessi

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	Musicians - Joseph Alessi

Joseph Alessi is a classical trombonist. He has been Principal Trombone for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra since 1985 and is on the faculty of the Julliard School. In recognition to his influence in the field, in 2002 he was winner of the International Trombone Association's annual award.

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 () 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 the of 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 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 10 day intensive trombone workshop in the summer, known as the "Alessi Seminar".

Playing Style

Joeseph Alessi's playing is often noted for the particularly rich sound quality and complete technical control. He embodies the American style of a full, almost euphonium-like tone with plenty of vibrato in the solo works. This heavy approach to the sound is helped with a large instrument (Edwards 0.547") and mouthpiece (his own design, but similar to Bach 3G). The music he chooses to play encompasses the complete repertoire including aurally challenging 20th century works as well as more easy going new works, through to jazz styles and the romantic show-pieces, whilst dabbling in the baroque.

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 Alessie 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 Pugh

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