Johan de Meij Leads Opening New York Wind Symphony Season

Sun, Oct 2 - Sun, Oct 2  2016

On October 2 2016, the New York Wind Symphony will open their 27th Season at Monroe Woodbury High School at 3:00 PM. The opening features guest soloist Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone of The New York Philharmonic performing Ferdinand David’s Concertino Opus 4 for Trombone and Wind Orchestra. The Dutch principal guest conductor, Johan de Meij, returns to lead The New York Wind Symphony through his second Symphony entitled, The Big Apple. Opening the concert will be a special performance by the Hudson Valley Honors Youth Wind Ensemble.  

About Johan de Meij

Before devoting his time exclusively to composing and conducting, Dutch conductor Johan de Meij enjoyed a successful professional career as a trombone and euphonium player himself, performing with major orchestras and ensembles in The Netherlands. His award-winning oeuvre of original compositions, symphonic transcriptions and film score arrangements has garnered him international acclaim. De Meij is in high demand as a guest conductor and lecturer, frequently invited to speak about and perform his own works. Currently, the Dutch conductor maintains posts with both The New York Wind Symphony and The Kyushu Wind Orchestra in Fukuoka, Japan as their principal guest conductor. 

Joseph Alessi

Joseph Alessi was appointed Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic in the spring of 1985. He is an active soloist, recitalist, and chamber music performer, and 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. Additionally, he 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. 

About the New York Wind Symphony

In 1989, John Lynch founded The New York Wind Symphony, which continues its mission “to present thoughtful and artistic performances of the finest repertoire for our community and beyond.” As the Symphony enters its 26th season, that mission continues to inspire young musicians with an aggressive out-reach programs including the NYWS’s popular “Play with the Pros” series. The NYWS considers itself an organization in the public’s service, as evidenced by its ongoing effort to promote the importance of symphonic music to a much wider and more diverse audience than are normally exposed to it in today’s American culture.