Past Guest Performers

In 2010, the Eastern Wind Symphony began inviting top soloists to perform with the ensemble in an effort to inspire our members, our audience, and local young musicians by witnessing the highest level of musical artistry that these musical icons provide. In the first concert of this design, the Eastern Wind Symphony was proud to have featured Stanley Drucker, retired principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic on Carl Maria von Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet. This year EWS is proud to continue this new tradition and will feature Phil Smith and Joe Alessi, the principal trumpet and trombone of the New York Philharmonic on Joseph Turrin’s Fandango.

Stanley Drucker began clarinet studies at age ten with Leon Russianoff, his principal teacher, and later attended the High School of Music and Art and the Curtis Institute of Music. He was appointed Principal Clarinetist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at age 16, the Adolf Busch Chamber Players at age 17, and the Buffalo Philharmonic at age 18. He has the distinction of being one of the few living orchestral musicians whose biography appears in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

Philip Smith, Principal Trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, has been with the orchestra since October 1978, when he was appointed as Co-Principal Trumpet by Zubin Mehta. His early training on the cornet was under the tutelage of his father, Derek Smith, himself a renowned cornet soloist. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School, having studied with Edward Treutel and William Vacchiano. While still at Juilliard, Mr. Smith was appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by Sir Georg Solti, in January 1975.

Joseph Alessi is an active soloist, recitalist, and chamber music performer. In April 1990 he made his solo debut with the New York Philharmonic, performing Creston’­s Fantasy for Trombone, and in 1992 premiered Christopher Rouseís Pulitzer Prize-winning Trombone Concerto with the Philharmonic, which commissioned the work for its 150th anniversary celebration. His most recent appearance with the Philharmonic as soloist was in world premiere performances of Melinda Wagner’s Trombone Concerto in February of 2007.