Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

October 7, 1978 in Hertfordshire, England

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Vocal

 

Alison Balsom is a world-renowned classical trumpet player, born on October 7, 1978, in Royston, Hertfordshire, England. She grew up in a musical family, with her father being a music teacher and her mother a professional singer. Balsom began playing the trumpet at the age of seven and quickly showed a natural talent for the instrument. Balsom attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where she studied with trumpet virtuoso John Wallace. She graduated with first-class honors and went on to pursue a career as a professional musician. Balsom's career took off in the early 2000s when she won several prestigious awards, including the Classical BRIT Award for Young British Classical Performer in 2006 and 2009. She also won the Female Artist of the Year award at the 2013 Classical BRIT Awards. Balsom has performed with some of the world's leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Berlin Philharmonic. She has also collaborated with many renowned conductors, such as Sir Simon Rattle, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and Sir Mark Elder. One of Balsom's most notable performances was at the Last Night of the Proms in 2009, where she played the trumpet solo in the traditional piece "The Carnival of Venice." Her performance was met with a standing ovation and critical acclaim. Balsom has also released several successful albums, including "Caprice" in 2006, which reached number one on the UK Classical Chart, and "Sound the Trumpet" in 2012, which featured duets with fellow trumpet player Wynton Marsalis. In addition to her performing career, Balsom is also a dedicated music educator. She has given masterclasses at some of the world's leading music schools, including the Juilliard School in New York and the Royal Academy of Music in London. Balsom is known for her virtuosic playing style and her ability to bring a fresh perspective to classical trumpet repertoire. She has been praised for her technical skill, musicality, and expressive playing. In 2016, Balsom was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to music. She continues to perform and record, and is considered one of the leading classical trumpet players of her generation.

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