SOLOISTS

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, and 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, 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.

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 world premiere performances of Melinda Wagner's Trombone Concerto in February of 2007.

Joseph Alessi has been a guest soloist with the Lincoln Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Symphony, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Santa Barbara Symphony, South Dakota Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Orchestra of Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, Sicily, Mannheim National Theater Orchestra, National Symphony of Taiwan, Puerto Rico Symphony, Hague Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, and the Hartford Symphony. He has also participated in numerous festivals, including the Festivale Musica di Camera in Protogruaro, 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. He is a founding member of the Summit Brass ensemble at the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute in Tempe, Arizona.

In 2002 Alessi was awarded an International Trombone Association Award for his contributions to the world of trombone music and trombone playing. Alessi is currently on the faculty of The Juilliard School; his students now occupy posts with many major symphony orchestras in the U.S. and internationally.



As a clinician for the Edwards Instrument Co., he has also given master classes throughout the world and has toured Europe extensively as a master teacher and recitalist. He has performed as soloist with several leading concert bands, including the U.S. Military Academy Band at West Point, U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own), and the U.S. Marine Band (President's Own).

Alessi’s discography includes many releases on the Summit record label, including the recent Trombonastics, and a disc with New York Philharmonic Principal Trumpet Philip Smith entitled Fandango. His live recording of the Rouse Concerto with the New York Philharmonic can be heard on Volume II of, An American Celebration, on New York Philharmonic Special Editions. Alessi was invited by the International Trombone Association to record a solo disc of newly composed works, which was distributed to the Association’s membership of 5,000 trombonists.

Recently his recording of George Crumb’s Starchild on the Bridge record label, featuring Alessi as soloist, won a Grammy Award for 1999–2000. Other recordings featuring Alessi are with the Canadian Brass (Sony Classical and Philips Records).

Michel Becquet was born in Limoges, France. With the smoothness of his playing, his great sensitivity and his unique sonority, Michel Becquet is considered to be one of the best representatives of the French school of wind instruments in the entire world.

In his youth, he practiced the piano and the horn, while taking the advice of his father (himself a professional horn player) before discovering a passion for the trombone at 10 years of age.

He was engaged, at 18 years of age, as the principal trombone of Orchestre de Suisse-Romande by Wolfgang Sawallisch, in the French-speaking part of Switserland, before joining the Opera of Paris a few years later.



In order to devote himself to teaching, he left the Orchestra of the Opera for the "Hochschule für Musik" of Cologne in 1989, where he taught at the sides of prestigious international masters. In 1990, Gilbert Amy proposed to him the functions of "Head of Brass Department" at the CNSM in Lyon France.

Michel Becquet is also permanent chief of the ensemble Les Cuivres Francais, 18 French brass players at a very high level.

Chris Houlding was appointed Principal Trombone of the Orchestra of Opera North, Britain’s newest and most innovative opera company, when he was 21. Since then he has appeared as Guest Principal with most major UK ensembles including the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London Brass, London Symphony Brass and the Symphonic Brass of London.

A graduate of London’s Guildhall School of Music, Chris studied with Denis Wick, Eric Crees and Peter Gane, and was awarded the Principal’s Prize. Prior to this he was a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra and Great Britain’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra and National Youth Brass Band, gaining the LRAM Diploma while still at school.

Recently appointed Professor of Trombone and Brass Ensemble at the Folkwang Hochschule, Essen, he is also Senior Tutor in Brass at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music and regular Trombone Professor with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He has coached the European Union Youth Orchestra and Gustav Mahler Jungend Orchester and gives recitals and masterclasses throughout the world, including the Joseph Alessi Summer Seminar, Juilliard, Eastman and conservatoires in Boston, Texas, St Petersburg, Porto and Oslo. In the UK, Chris has given recitals and classes at London’s Guildhall School of Music, Royal College of Music, Trinity College of Music and conservatoires and universities in Glasgow, Birmingham, Huddersfield and Salford.

In 2003 Chris represented the UK in the World Orchestra for Peace under Valery Gergiev and has made concerto appearances with the Orchestra of Opera North (Elgar Howarth Concerto under the composer, Grondahl Concerto under Martyn Brabbins), Durham Sinfonia (Bourgeois Concerto) and Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra (Albrechtsberger Concerto as soloist/director). A former President of the British Trombone Society and clinician for the Edwards Instrument Company, he has appeared as guest artist at International Trombone Festivals in Las Vegas (ITF 2007), Sweden (2007) and Birmingham (ITF 2006).

Chris was awarded an MMus in Conducting by the Royal Northern College of Music in 2005 and held the position of Music Director with the Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra for six years. He has also conducted the Orchestra of Opera North, RNCM Symphony Orchestra, Wind Orchestra and Brass Band (2006 Festival of Brass), Lancashire Youth Symphony, Oslo Music Academy Brass Ensemble and Grimethorpe Colliery Band.

As an adjudicator, he has served on international juries including the Turkish Young Musician of the Year, Norwegian Brass Band Championships, Feis Ceoil Dublin and the Royal Overseas League Music Competition.

Niels-Ole Bo Johansen has been teaching at The Royal Academy of Music since 1989 - in 1995 he became associate professor and in 2000 he was appointed to a full professorship.

Niels-Ole Bo Johansen has been an orchestral musician in various ensembles. From 1980 – 84 he was a bandsman in The Prince’s Life Guard Regiment Music Corps, Viborg,1984 – 86 Funen Life Guard Regiment Music Corps and finally from 1986 – 2000 he was co-principal trombonist in the The Aarhus Symphony Orchestra Niels-Ole Bo Johansen keeps a busy schedule performing and teaching all over the world with his various programmes and musical combinations.

Niels-Ole Bo Johansen has performed at the International Trombone Association Festivals in1996, 2003 and 2006.

Niels-Ole Bo Johansen is active in the International Trombone Association as secretary in the International Trombone Festival. He is also board member in the danish division of Jeunesse Musicale. He is chairman of the board of the magazine "Dansk Musik Tidskrift" - a magazine for contemporary music in Denmark.

Niels-Ole Bo Johansen is often in the jurys of music competitions in Scandinavia. Niels-Ole Bo Johansen will host the International Trombone Festival in 2009 in Aarhus.

Since its formation the New Trombone Collective has taken its place in the forefront of the ensemble world in the Netherlands as well as abroad.

Musicality, creativity and a wonderful team spirit are key words when describing the New Trombone Collective.

With their surprising presentations and superb playing the New Trombone Collective shows its audiences that the trombone has acquired an important place as a classical chamber music instrument in the 21st century.

Working closely with composers they present an unusual combination of instruments, styles and playing techniques. But at no time do they lose sight of the role of the trombone as a classical instrument. With the emphasis on innovation and tradition their adventuresome programming gives a unique perspective on the trombone.

The New Trombone Collective appeals to a wide audience of listeners as well as composers, music critics, amateur players and similar ensembles with their programming of standard repertoire along with the commissioning and performing of new compositions. In this way the New Trombone Collective have proven that there is a great future for the trombone. And they intend to keep pursuing it!

The festival Slide Factory organized by the New Trombone Collective has been cited as the official trombone festival in Europe by the International Trombone Association. The New Trombone Collective has collaborated with many exciting ensembles (Doelen Quartet, Ensemble Caméléon, Amstel Saxophone Quartet) and soloists such as Christian Lindberg, Michel Becquet, Joseph Alessi, Mark Nightingale, Bart van Lier and Marcel Beekman..

Their discography is being brought out by the Etcetera label. With the launch of the CD ‘new’ during this festival the triptych ‘new trombone collective’ is now complete. A selection of pieces that have been arranged and composed for the New Trombone Collective are available under their own line “New Trombone Collective Series” at Warwick Music in England.

The New Trombone Collective is delighted to be sponsored by Antoine Courtois Paris. NTC's commissions and recordings are available from and Warwick Music Ltd., one of the world's leading brass music publishing companies.

Brandt Attema Mark Boonstra Bart Claessens Remko de Jager Koen Kaptijn Jörgen van Rijen Martin Schippers Nico Schippers Alexander Verbeek Pierre Volders

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Radio Philharmonic Orchestra The Brabant Orchestra Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra Ensemble MAE, Trio 7090, Clazz Ensemble Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Radio Chamber Philharmonic Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra

'..Van Rijen is a real ambassador of his instrument, which is still not often used as a virtuosic brassinstrument among composers. But there are not that many trombonists that reach the brilliant level of Van Rijen. In sound, dynamic, color, musical understanding and expressiveness Van Rijen is unequalled.(...) Van Rijen is a great musician. He could grow into a Dutch Christian Lindberg..'

Dutch music magazine 'Luister' in a review over the first solo cd of Jörgen van Rijen, which they rewarded with a 10. Jörgen van Rijen studied with George Wiegel at the Rotterdam Conservatory, where he finished his solo degree with the highest possible mark, 10 summa cum laude. He continued his studies with Michel Becquet at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon, where he also studied baroque trombone with Daniel Lasalle. In addition he attended lessons and master classes with authorities including Christian Lindberg, Joseph Alessi, Jay Friedman, bassoonist Brian Pollard and the cellist Anner Bijlsma.

Since 1997 Jörgen has been principal trombonist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, of which he was the youngest member for several years. Previously he held the same position with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. He teaches trombone at the Rotterdam Conservatory and is guestteacher at the Musikhochschule Luzern.

In 2004 he was awarded the Netherlands Music Prize, the highest distinction in the field of music from the Dutch Ministry of Culture. This prize was presented by the state secretary of culture during a concert given by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, with which he was performing as the soloist in the trombone concerto 'SOLO' by Luciano Berio. In 2006 Jörgen received the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award. This prestigous international award is yearly presented by the Borletti-Buitoni Trust to a selection of the most promising and talented young soloists and ensembles. Jörgen also won other prizes, including first prizes at two international trombone competitions, in Toulon (France) in 2001 and in Guebwiller (France) 1999.

In the meantime Jörgen has become a frequently requested soloist and teacher both at home and abroad. In most European countries, as well as the United States, Japan and Australia, he has given recitals and master classes (including conservatories of Paris, Toronto, Sydney, San Francisco, Tokyo and the Juilliard school in New York) and he has appeared as a soloist with various orchestras, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and Amsterdam Sinfonietta. His current engagements for 2006 include soloperformances in Spain, South Korea, US, Singapore, Germany, Sweden, Greece, China and Japan.



Different composers have written solo pieces especially for Jörgen, including Jan van Vlijmen, Martijn Padding, Florian Maier and Jacob ter Veldhuis. For the future several new pieces are expected, including a trombone concerto by Theo Verbey, commissioned by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (to be performed in 2007/2008 by Jörgen and the same orchestra).

Besides this Jörgen is an active chamber musician in ensembles like the Ebony Band, the New Trombone Collective and the Brass of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO brass). He was one of the founders of the New Trombone Collective and the RCO Brass and is artistic leader of both of them.

Stefan Schulz first played horn and later switched to the trombone. He studied with Harald Winkler and Joachim Mittelacher in Berlin as well as Charles G. Vernon in Chicago. Before becoming a member of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Schulz was bass trombonist of the Berlin Staatskapelle from 1993 to 2002 and taught in its Orchestra Academy. This pedagogical activity laid the foundation for further teaching positions and professorships: at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hanover, at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin (2000-04) and at Berlin’s Universität der Künste (since 2004). In 2005 he was appointed Professor h.c. at the University of Shanghai. He regularly holds master classes in Europe, Asia and Central America as well as at the Julliard School of Music in New York.

With an increasing demand to play as soloist Stefan Schulz has performed with various European orchestras among them the Ensemble Madrid-Berlin, Staatsorchester Wiesbaden, Brandenburger Symphoniker and the Philharmonia Wien. A regular player in the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra from 1996 to 2002, Stefan Schulz also performs in various chambermusic groups, including the Berlin Philharmonic Brass Ensemble and the Daniel Schnyder Trio.

In search of new repertoire Stefan Schulz puts one focus on contemporary music. In Daniel Schnyder, the Swiss composer and saxophone player, he has found the perfect musical counterpart. Among teaming up on various chamber music programs, like „Worlds beyond“ or „Around the World“, Schnyder’s virtuous trombone concerto „subZERO“ is one of the core pieces of Schulz’s repertoire. He’s performed this concerto’s premiere in Germany, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. In September 2008 Stefan Schulz performed Schnyder’s concerto 'roTor' with the New York ‚Absolute Ensemble’ conducted by Kristjan Järvi at the prestigious Bremer Musikfest.



Another concerto for bass trombone by Daniel Schnyder, dedicated to Stefan Schulz has its world premiere in December 2008 and will be recorded in spring 2009. Another new trombone concerto written for Stefan Schulz by Danish composer Poul Ruders is due to have its world premiere in June 2009 with the Aarhus Sinfonietta.

Csaba Wagner studied at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest with Ferenc Steiner and Andras Fejer.

He took part in courses and masterclasses with prof. Armin Bachmann (2001), Edgar Manyak (2002 and 2003), prof. Stefan Schulz (2005). He participated in many international competions; Balogh-Zilcz Hungarian Trombone Competition(2001) -first prize, 7th Chamberbrass Competition in Passau (2001)-special prize, ITF Trombone Quartet Competition in Helsinki (2003)-first prize, 5th Philip Jones Chamberbrass Competition in Guebwiller (2003)-first prize, 3rd Jeju Brass Trombone Competition in South-Corea (2004)-first prize, 8th Chamberbrass Competition in Passau (2004)-4th place, 4th Jan Koetsier Trombone Quartet Competition in Munich (2004)-first prize.

Before joining the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin in 2006, Csaba worked from 2002-2006 with the Hungarian State Opera and was assistant Bass Trombone player of the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 2004

New Orleans trombonist and Jupiter Artist Harry Watters serves with the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble and is the newest member of the United States Army Brass Quintet in Washington, DC.

He is a graduate of the University of North Texas, and served as graduate assistant to Professor Ellis Marsalis at the University of New Orleans.

Harry has performed and recorded with a long list of distinguished musicians, including Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Peter Nero, Carl Fontana, and James Moody, and has appeared as a featured soloist with numerous symphony orchestras.

Nils Wogram (1972 Braunschweig Germany) studied trombone with Reinhard Feldmann, Helmut Seifert and Martin Göß. He won several prizes in Germany like in the federal competition “Jugend musiziert”. In 1994 he won a scholarship to the “New School” of New York city, study of the subjects trombone and composition/music arrangement with Reginald Workman, Buster Williams, Steve Turre, Jimmy Knepper, Conrad Herwig, Slide Hampton, Kenny Werner, Maria Schneider.

His first CD with the Nils Wogram Quintet recorded in New York is called “New York Conversations”. He continued his studies at the conservatory of the University of Cologne with prof. Jiggs Whigham. His second cd “Round Trip” was recorded in 1996 and in 1998 the third cd “Speedlife” appeared.



Nils Wogram won many prizes like the culture-prize of the state of Northrhine Westphalia, the jazz-prize of the city of Nürnberg and the SWR jazz prize. In 2000 he started his band “Root 70”, with a CD release “2nd Floor”. With this band he toured Russia in 2002 and played on many important festivals in Germany.

Since September 2004 Nils Wogram teaches at Lucerne Music Conservatory.