Episode #48 - Harry Ries & Markus Leuchter

Episode #48 - Harry Ries & Markus Leuchter

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 Harry Ries and Markus Leuchter. About Harry: Harry Ries is a Dutch trombonist and early music specialist, born in 1947 in Kerkrade, Netherlands. After completing his studies in The Hague, he built a distinguished orchestral career, serving as principal trombonist with both the Limburg Symphony Orchestra in Maastricht and later the Gürzenich Orchestra in Cologne. In 1978, he was appointed principal trombonist of the West German Radio Symphony Orchestra in Cologne, a position that further established his reputation as a leading orchestral musician. Alongside his orchestral work, Ries became deeply involved in historically informed performance, collaborating with many of Europe's most prominent early music ensembles. His credits include performances with groups such as Hesperion XXI, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, La Petite Bande, and Concerto Palatino, working with leading figures in the early music movement. In addition to his performing career, he has been an influential educator, teaching trombone and chamber music at the conservatories of Maastricht and Aachen. Over time, his artistic focus increasingly shifted toward early brass instruments, particularly the sackbut, contributing to the revival and evolution of historical trombone performance practice. About Markus: Markus Leuchter is a German trombone maker specializing in both historical brass instruments and modern trombones. His workshop is located in Herzogenrath, near Aachen, Germany. Markus apprenticed with the renowned trombone builder Heribert Glassl in Nauheim, and has collaborated with trombonists Harry Ries, Christoph Schwarz, and Noah Gladstone on a variety of models and instrument designs. He is particularly well known for his alto, bass, and contrabass trombones, as well as his work in historical brass. He maintains a small workshop near his home, where he handcrafts each instrument from start to finish. His instruments are used by professional performers in early music as well as players in leading radio and symphony orchestras across Europe.

Episode #47 - John Engelkes

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 John Engelkes [https://www.sfsymphony.org/Data/Event-Data/Artists/E/John-Engelkes], long-time bass trombonist with the San Francisco Symphony. About John: John Engelkes was appointed Bass Trombonist with the San Francisco Symphony in 1981. He held this position for 39 years until his retirement. Prior to his time with San Francisco he was Bass Trombonist with the Florida Symphony in Orlando, the Baltimore Symphony, and briefly The Minnesota Orchestra. A native of Iowa, he graduated from the University of Northern Iowa where he studied with Jon Hansen. He also studied with John Hill at the University of Iowa. John pursued a Masters Degree at Northwestern University where he studied with Frank Crisafulli. While at Northwestern he also studied with Edward Kleinhammer and Arnold Jacobs. John has taught Bass Trombone at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music since 1983. He also teaches many private students as well. John has played and taught at numerous festivals including, Aspen Music Festival, Saito Kinen in Matsumoto, Sun Valley and the Grand Teton Festival. John has also performed with many notable artists throughout his career including Nelson Riddle, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Buddy Rich and many more. John Resides in Mill Valley California with his wife Myra. He continues to teach at the SFCM and also maintains a private studio. John enjoys golf, cooking and travel in his spare time.

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].