T17.A10. ADDA·SIMFÒNICA/VICENT/ALESSI “Fantástica”

Joseph Alessi began his musical studies in his native California with his father, Joseph Alessi.

During his high school years in San Rafael (California), he was a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony, before continuing his musical training at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Although before joining the Philharmonic, he was second trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra for four seasons and solo trombone of l'Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal for one season.

Additionally, he has been guest solo trombone with the London Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall conducted by Pierre Boulez.

In 1990 he debuted as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic, performing Creston's Trombone Fantasy, and in 1992 he premiered Christopher Rouse's Trombone Concerto, a Pulitzer Prize winner, with the Philharmonic, which commissioned the work for the celebration of its 150th anniversary.

His most recent appearance with the Philharmonic as a soloist was in the world premiere of William Bolcom's Trombone Concerto in 2017.

With the New York Philharmonic he has performed concertos by Kazimierz Serocki, Bramwell Tovey and William Grant Still.

In June 2021 he offered the world premiere of Chick Corea's Trombone Concerto.

He has recorded and performed on numerous occasions with four prominent trombone quartets: the New York Trombone Quartet, which has made the only recording of Bartók's String Quartet No. 4; the Four of a Kind Trombone Quartet; the World Trombone Quartet and the Slide Monsters Trombone Quartet.

Currently he is part of the faculty of the Juilliard School; his students now hold positions in many of the major symphony orchestras of the United States and the world.

As an artist/teacher of Eastman-Shires Instrument Co., he has given masterclasses worldwide and has undertaken numerous tours in Europe as conductor and soloist.

He has performed as a soloist with several of the major bands such as the United States Military Academy Band in West Point, the United States Army Band (Pershing's Own) and the United States Marine Band (President's Own).

Additionally, he has performed with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, the Village Vanguard Orchestra, and has recorded with jazz giants J.J. Johnson and Steve Turre.

His discography includes Trombonastics, Fandango, An American Celebration or Beyond the End of the Century, among others.

The recording of Starchild by George Crumb on the Bridge label, where he participated as a soloist, won a Grammy award in 1999-2000.