Balsom has been a professional solo classical trumpeter since 2001. She is a former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, during which time she performed much of the major concerto repertoire for solo trumpet and orchestra with all of the BBC Orchestras,[6] and she released her debut album with EMI Classics in 2002. In 2005, she released her second disc, Bach Works for Trumpet, as part of a contract with EMI Classics. In 2006, Balsom won 'Young British Classical Performer' at the Classical BRIT Awards and was awarded the 'Classic FM Listeners' Choice Award' at the Classic FMGramophone Awards. She won 'Female Artist of the Year' at the 2009 and 2011 Classical BRIT Awards.
Balsom was the principal trumpet of the London Chamber Orchestra.[8] Her main trumpet is a Bob Malone-converted Bach C trumpet.[citation needed] About her natural trumpet playing, Balsom said in 2014, "I have been playing since I was in the 3rd year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama – so since I was 21. I just fell in love with this instrument as soon as I started learning it, as it makes total sense of the whole Baroque era in terms of phrasing, colour and the difference in keys and certain notes of the scale, which you lose on a modern instrument such as the piccolo trumpet. I play various different makes but my favourite is by Egger of Switzerland."[9]
She gave the world premiere of Qigang Chen'sJoie éternelle for solo trumpet and orchestra at the 2014 BBC Proms,[11] and Guy Barker'sLanterne of Light trumpet concerto at the 2015 BBC Proms. In addition to 14 years of solo appearances at the Proms, Balsom has also appeared at the iTunes Festival, Latitude Festival, Henley Festival, Un Violon Sur le Sable, France and Wege durch das Land, Germany.
In 2014 Balsom was chosen as one of 27 artists, including Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Florence Welch, and Sam Smith, to feature in one of BBC Music's first broadcasts, an extravagant cover of the 1966 Beach Boys classic, "God Only Knows", under the name of The Impossible Orchestra. This track marked a first-time collaboration between the Warner, Sony and Universal Music labels.[12]
She has a son with the English conductor Edward Gardner.[21] In 2017, she married film director Sam Mendes. Their daughter was born later that year.[22]
Discography
Music for Trumpet and Organ (EMI Classics Debut, 2002)
The Fam'd Italian Masters (Hyperion, 2003) - With Crispian Steele-Perkins
Bach works for Trumpet (EMI Classics, 2005)
Caprice (EMI Classics, 2006)
Haydn and Hummel Trumpet Concertos (EMI Classics, 2008)
Italian Concertos (EMI Classics, 2010)
Haydn and Hummel concertos / Albinoni's Oboe Concerto Op. 9 No. 2, transcribed for trumpet / Vivaldi's Violin Concerto Op. 3 No. 9, arranged for trumpet and instrumental trio (BBC Music Magazine, 2010)
Seraph: Trumpet Concertos by Arutiunian, MacMillan, and Zimmerman (EMI Classics, 2012)
Alison Balsom (EMI Classics, 2012)
Sound the Trumpet: Royal Music of Purcell and Handel, also marketed as; Kings & Queens (EMI Classics, 2012), and Sound the Trumpet-Gabriel Edition (Warner Classics, 2013)
Paris (Warner Classics, 2014)
Légende (Warner Classics, 2016)
Jubilo (Warner Classics, 2016) - Christmas Album including Fasch, Bach, Torelli and Corelli concerti
Royal Fireworks (Warner Classics, 2019)
Magic Trumpet (Warner Classics, 2020)
Quiet City (Warner Classics, 2022)
Awards
Artist of the Year, Gramophone Classical Music Awards, 2013[23]
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