The Trombone Corner

Episode #46 - Tiziano Mazzoleni

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass [https://bobreeves.com/] and The Brass Ark [http://brassark.com/]. Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Tiziano Mazzoleni, [https://tizianomazzoleni.com/en/] solo trombone artist from Italy, living in Germany. U.S. listeners can see his tour dates in the US here [https://tizianomazzoleni.com/en/live/]. About Tiziano: Tiziano excels as a virtuoso of the tenor trombone, whose career spans from classical music to film and video game scores. He studied primarily in Italy and Germany, under the guidance of respected mentors such as Gianluca Scipioni, Matthias Gromer, Ulrich Flad, and Martin Schippers. Active also in chamber music, he has collaborated with various ensembles across Europe. His solo career has led him to perform with prestigious orchestras such as the Philharmonie Südwestfalen and with renowned conductors. He was also an Associate Member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. His orchestral experience has brought him to work with world-renowned conductors such as Johan De Meij, Markus Stenz, and Duncan Ward, and to perform with distinguished orchestras like the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale dei Conservatori Italiani, the Miami Music Festival Orchestra, the Moritzburg Festival Orchestra as well as several other international orchestras. Tiziano has played in numerous high-profile recordings. Among these, the world premiere of the Cello Concerto by Enrique Casals with SONY Classical stands out, as well as the album Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto, Baccanale & Symphony No.1 with Alpha Classics. His studio career also includes his contribution to the soundtrack of the popular video game Joe Dever's Lone Wolf, which has passed the 2.5 million downloads. In addition to these recordings, Tiziano has played with internationally renowned artists such as Hans Zimmer on the European tour "Hans Zimmer Live" and alongside musicians like Alligatoah and Moein. His collaborations span from orchestral music to pop music, from film scores to video games, demonstrating his ability to adapt to various musical genres. Beyond his concert and recording career, Tiziano is constantly involved in new musical projects. He recently released a video clip featuring the first-ever recording of an original sonata for solo trombone, which was appreciated by both audiences and critics. In addition to this, he is working on new ideas for unpublished pieces and innovative projects, always striving to push the traditional boundaries of the trombone. His creations explore new sound possibilities, ranging from contemporary music to the exploration of new musical languages. Tiziano is also a languages enthusiast, speaking Italian, English, German, and Spanish fluently, with a growing interest in Japanese. In addition to these linguistic skills, he is a virtuoso on the tenor trombone, playing an Antoine Courtois Creation 421 New York model, an instrument that allows him to explore a wide range of musical expressions.

Episode #45 - Larry Zalkind

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass [https://bobreeves.com/] and The Brass Ark [http://brassark.com/]. Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Larry Zalkind, former principal trombone of the Utah Symphony, as well as current professor of trombone at Eastman School of Music. About Larry: Larry Zalkind' [https://www.larryzalkind.com/]s illustrious career as a trombonist began with a twist of fate: reaching the instrument line in elementary school after all the trumpets were taken. Encouraged by his teacher that he "looked like a trombone player," he set off on a path that would lead him to the University of Southern California and the University of Michigan. Under the mentorship of legends like Tommy Johnson and Robert Marsteller, Larry quickly rose to prominence, winning the audition for Principal Trombonist of the Utah Symphony while still a doctoral student—a position he held with distinction for 34 years. Beyond his long tenure in Utah, Larry's orchestral reach is vast. He has performed as Acting Associate Principal Trombone with the Los Angeles Philharmonic during Gustavo Dudamel's inaugural season and has recorded or performed with the Chicago, Atlanta, St. Louis, and Seattle Symphonies. A longtime member of the Summit Brass and a veteran of the Grand Teton Music Festival, his versatility also extends to the euphonium and solo performances with prestigious ensembles ranging from the U.S. Army Band to the Eastman Wind Ensemble. Today, Larry serves as the Trombone Professor at the renowned Eastman School of Music. He is a deeply committed educator who has held faculty positions at several colleges and mentored students at festivals across the globe. As a Yamaha Artist, his influence even extends to the instruments themselves; he was a key figure in the design and production of the Yamaha 882OR large-bore tenor and alto trombone models that he plays today. Outside of his professional life, Larry shares his musical passion with his family. He is married to violist Roberta Zalkind, whom he met as a student at the Music Academy of the West, and two of their three children have followed in their footsteps by pursuing careers in music. With three solo albums on the Summit Records label—including his latest crossover collaboration, Lost in the Stars—Larry continues to be a defining voice in the world of brass.

Episode #44 - Sasha Romero

This episode of the Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by The Colburn LA Brass Institute [https://colburnschool.edu/summer-music-camps-los-angeles/los-angeles-brass-institute/]. Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Sasha Romero, principal trombone of the MET in New York. About Sasha: Sasha Romero [https://www.instagram.com/sasha.romero.music/] was appointed principal trombone of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in 2018. Prior to her appointment at The MET, she held the position of principal trombone with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra from 2016-2018. Hailing from Longview, Texas, Sasha grew up within the acclaimed and robust Texas band system and achieved great musical success at a young age. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Music degree at Baylor University, where she studied with Brent Phillips; and her Master of Music degree at Rice University, studying with Allen Barnhill. In addition to a lengthy list of national and international solo and chamber music competition wins to her name, Sasha is honored to have been a semi-finalist in the first Brass Division of the 2019 XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia. Sasha is a passionate educator, and currently serves on the trombone faculties at Rutgers University, Mannes School of Music, and Bard College Conservatory of Music. A highly sought-after teacher, soloist, and clinician, she has presented solo recitals and masterclasses at numerous colleges, universities, music conservatories, and industry conventions across the United States. When she is not at The MET, teaching, or screaming into the night at the shortcomings of NYC's public transportation system (looking at you, weekend subway service), Sasha is occasionally invited to perform as a guest trombonist with the world's major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, Houston Symphony, and others. She can be heard on Weezer's OK Human album, as well as the film soundtracks to The Good Liar (2019) and Joker (2019). Sasha currently makes her home in New York City, where she spends an embarrassing amount of time catering to the demands of her absurdly adorable cats and searching endlessly for decent Mexican food. Sasha Romero is an S.E. Shires [https://www.seshires.com/] Performing Artist and she has a signature mouthpiece line with Long Island Brass Co [https://www.librassco.com/john-romero-signature-series].

The Trombone Corner – 2025 Holiday Episode with Special Guests Jay Friedman & Michael Dease

The Trombone Corner – 2025 Holiday Episode Cohosts Noah Gladstone and John Snell post up by the fireplace with eggnog and a tradition that's equal parts heartfelt and mechanically questionable: Noah lights his custom Trombonorah—a menorah built from a trombone bell, with a few trumpet valves thrown in for reasons that will make sense to exactly no one. From there, it's a holiday-themed conversation that bounces between trombone life, seasonal rituals, gear talk, and the usual detours you'd expect when brass players are left unsupervised. And yes, we brought in reinforcements: Jay Friedman (retired Principal Trombone of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) and jazz great Michael Dease join the festivities, adding equal parts wisdom, stories, and top-tier trombone perspective.

Episode #43 - Steve Suminski

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass [https://bobreeves.com/] and The Brass Ark [http://brassark.com/]. Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Steve Suminski, Los Angeles and Bay Area studio musician and freelancer. About Steve: Steven Suminski is an active freelance and studio trombonist in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Areas. He currently serves as Guest Principal Trombone with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and holds posts as Principal Trombone with Symphony San Jose, Opera Santa Barbara and the Riverside County Philharmonic. Steven has appeared with many premier ensembles in the area, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Santa Barbara Symphony, Long Beach Symphony and Los Angeles Master Chorale. As a studio musician he has recorded for film and television projects working with composers such as John Williams, Christophe Beck, Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, Ludwig Göransson and countless others. Passionate about chamber music and performing new works, he is a member of the acclaimed Modern Brass Quintet and is a founding member of the award winning group Brass Pacifica, currently working for the educational division of the Music Center of Los Angeles. Steven began playing trombone at the age of nine, eventually moving to Los Angeles to study music performance at the University of Southern California. Currently he lives in the Los Angeles area and maintains an active teaching studio at Riverside City College.