The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark. Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Joseph Alessi, principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic.
About Joseph Alessi:
Joseph Alessi was appointed Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic in the spring of 1985. He began musical studies in his native California with his father, Joseph Alessi, Sr. As a high school student in San Rafael, California, he was a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony before continuing his musical training at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music. Prior to joining the Philharmonic, Mr. Alessi was second trombone of The Philadelphia Orchestra for four seasons, and principal trombone of L'Orchestre symphonique de Montreal for one season. In addition, he has performed as guest principal trombonist with the London Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall led by Pierre Boulez. Mr. Alessi is an active soloist, recitalist, and chamber music performer. In April 1990 he made his solo debut with the New York Philharmonic, performing Creston's Fantasy for Trombone, and in 1992 premiered Christopher Rouse's Pulitzer Prize- winning Trombone Concerto with the Philharmonic, which commissioned the work for its 150th anniversary celebration. His most recent appearance with the Philharmonic as soloist was in performances of the Tan-Dun Trombone Concerto in March of 2024. Mr. Alessi also has appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic in performances of concerti by Kazimierz Serocki, Bramwell Tovey, William Bolcom, Chick Corea, and William Grant Still. Composed especially for Mr. Alessi, he performed the world premiere of the Chick Corea Trombone Concerto with the Säo Paulo Symphony Orchestra in August of 2021.
Joseph Alessi has recorded and performed extensively with five prominent trombone quartets; The New York Trombone Quartet resulting in the only recording of Bartok's 4th String Quartet, Aries Trombone Quartet, Four of a Kind Trombone Quartet, the World Trombone Quartet, and Slide Monsters Trombone Quartet.
Other solo engagements have included the New Japan Philharmonic, Nagoya Philharmonic, Gulbenkian Symphony, Costa Rica Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, Orchestra of Teatro Bellini, Mannheim National Theater Orchestra, Hauge
Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, and the Colorado, Nashville, Alabama, Santa Barbara, Syracuse, and Puerto Rico symphony orchestras. Mr. Alessi has also participated in numerous festivals, including the Festivale Musica di Camera in Portogruaro, Italy; Cabrillo Music Festival; Swiss Brass Week; and Lieksa Brass Week in Finland. He was featured in the 1997 International Trombone Festival in Feldkirch, Austria, and the International Meeting of Brass Instruments in Lille, France.
