Alison Balsom
Biography
Alison Balsom is one of the few female trumpet soloists in a man’s world.
Alison practised on a trumpet belonging to her uncle, playing in both the National Youth Orchestra and the pan-European Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra.
Shortly before she graduated from the Guildhall she became the first brass player to be taken on by the Young Concert Artists’ Trust and joined the BBC’s New Generation Artists scheme, resulting in concerts with orchestras throughout the country.
Music
Alison reached the concerto final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 1998 and won a prize for ‘Most Beautiful Sound’ at the Maurice André International Trumpet Competition in Paris in 2000.
Her debut CD was released in 2002, followed by her internationally acclaimed CD Bach: Trumpet and Organ in 2005. Her latest CD Caprice was released in September 2006, to further critical acclaim.
Under the auspices of BBC Radio 3's New Generation Artists scheme, of which she was a member until recently, Alison has given concerts at the Wigmore Hall, and with all of the BBC orchestras. The summer of 2006 saw Alison take part in the BBC’s celebrated ‘Last Night of the Proms’ in London’s Hyde Park.
In May 2007, Alison made her New York debut with further appearances at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival, the Prague Spring Festival and Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. 07/08 highlights include concerto appearances with the LA Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta, San Francisco Symphony, Camerata Salzburg, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie and Hong Kong Philharmonic.
She was recently appointed Visiting Professor of Trumpet to the Guildhall School of Music. Alison performs a wide range of recital and concerto repertoire, from Albinoni to Zimmermann and performs on both modern and baroque trumpets.
Alison Balsom On Classic FM
Listen to Alison Balsom on the Classic FM Magazine show - September 2008
Listen to Alison Balsom talking to Classic FM on The Guest List in July 2008
Listen to Alison Balsom talking to Classic FM on The Guest List in March 2008
Discography
2008 - Haydn and Hummel Trumpet Concertos
2006 - 'Caprice'
2005 - Bach works for Trumpet
2002 - Music for Trumpet and Organ
