Alan Raph

Alan Raph (born July 3, 1933 in New York City [1] ) is a bass trombonist, composer, arranger, and conductor who founded and conducts the Danbury Brass Band. He has recorded with many popular musicians and for television, movies, and ballet.[2] He was for many years on first call with most New York City recording studios.

Alan Raph
Born(1933-07-03)July 3, 1933
New York City, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz, classical, commercial
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, arranger, conductor
InstrumentsTrombone, keyboard
Years active1955–2010
Associated actsDanbury Brass Band, American Opera Association, Bolshoi Ballet, Diana Ross, Joffrey Ballet, Lena Horne, Mel Tormé, NBC Opera Company, Paul Whiteman, Philip Glass, Quincy Jones

Life

Raph was born in New York City to Marion McGuire and Ted Raph. His father was a jazz trombonist in the 1920s and 1930s. Raph married Theresa Capp on October 5, 1957.[3] They had two children. In 1978 he married musician Mary Ann O'Connor[4] with whom he has a daughter.[5][6]

Education

Raph graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. He then studied at Teachers College Columbia University where he received a Masters of Arts degree. He has studied privately with Nadia Boulanger, John Mehegan, Simon Karasick, and Gabriel Masson.[2]

Professional career

He was a charter member of the American Symphony Orchestra for which he played the bass trombone. He was for many years the bass trombone player on first call with most New York City recording studios.[7]

He has performed under the direction of Leopold Stokowski, with the Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band and the Chamber Brass Players. As a freelance trombonist, he has recorded albums with artists including Quincy Jones, Don Sebesky, Philip Glass, the NBC Opera Company, Eugene Ormandy, Paul Whiteman and his Palais Royale Orchestra, the Ballet Bolshoi Theatre, Diana Ross, Lena Horne and Mel Torme. He has also recorded music for many movies and television shows including Sesame Street, The Cosby Show, Name That Tune, The Godfather, The Producers, Midnight Cowboy, Hamburger Hill, Bananas, Kundun, Fog of War, Secret Window, and Taking Lives.[2][7]

He was a professor at the Teachers College of Columbia University in New York City, as well as instructor and associate professor at Queens College of the City University of New York.[2] He is the founder, music director, and conductor of the Danbury Brass Band, for which he has composed and arranged many pieces. The ensemble is composed of trumpets, cornets, French horns, trombones, euphoniums, and tubas.[8][9][10] The band has performed abroad in Australia, Bermuda, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.[11]

He has composed for the Joffrey Ballet Company. He also arranged several songs for the Broadway musical Rockabye Hamlet (1976). Raph is a member of ASCAP.[2][9]

Raph is known for his low range playing.[12] He was awarded the Most Valuable Player award by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.[7]

Compositions

Works for wind band
  • Variations on a Theme by Handel, for trombone and band
  • Fantasy on a Theme by Purcell, for flute and band

Ballets
  • Trinity, premiered in 1970 by the Joffrey Ballet Company
  • Sacred Grove on Mt. Tamalpais, premiered in 1971 by the Joffrey Ballet Company

Chamber music
  • Burlesque, for trombone ensemble (ca. 1956, per the composer)

Pedagogical works
  • Bel Canto Vocalises for Bass Trombone
  • Beyond Boundaries
  • Diversified Trombone Etudes
  • Arban Trombone
  • Melodious Etudes
  • Recital Pieces for Unaccompanied Trombone
  • The Double Valve Bass Trombone
  • Trombonisms

Media

Publications
  • Dance Band Reading and Interpretation, Alfred Music Publishers, 2002. 44 p., ISBN 978-0-757-92625-9
  • "Le" Trombone, AR Publishing Co., 1983. ISBN 978-0-9705815-0-1
  • "Les" Brass, AR Publishing Co., 1984. ISBN 978-0970581518
  • "L" Orchestra, AR Publishing Co., 1986. ISBN 978-0970581525

Discography

With J. J. Johnson

With Lee Konitz

With Gerry Mulligan

With Jerome Richardson

Bibliography
  • Michael Cuscuna, Michel Ruppli: The Blue Note label : a discography, Revised and expanded edition, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2001, 913 p.
  • de:Wolfgang Suppan, de:Armin Suppan: Das Neue Lexikon des Blasmusikwesens, 4. Auflage, Freiburg-Tiengen, Blasmusikverlag Schulz GmbH, 1994, ISBN 3-923058-07-1
  • Michel Ruppli, Ed Novitsky: The Mercury labels : a discography, Vol. V: record and artist indexes, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1993, 882 p.
  • E. Ruth Anderson: Contemporary American composers - A biographical dictionary, Second edition, Boston: G. K. Hall, 1982, 578 p., ISBN 978-0-816-18223-7
  • Jaques Cattell Press: ASCAP biographical dictionary of composers, authors and publishers, Fourth edition, New York: R. R. Bowker, 1980, 589 p., ISBN 0-835212-83-1

References
  1. New York, New York, Births, 1910-1965 Ancestry.com
  2. "Alan Raph". Trombone Page of the World. September 16, 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  3. "Marriage Record for Alan Raph". Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  4. "1959-77 Connecticut Marriage File". Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut Department of Public Health. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  5. "Alan Raph interview 1 of 8". Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  6. FI School Music Students Receive the Gift of Instruments
  7. "Alan Raph". Kendor Music Inc. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  8. "The Palace Danbury". Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  9. "Danbury Brass Band parties the night away". NewsTimes. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  10. "Danbury Brass Band makes music Down Under". The News-Times. September 15, 2004. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  11. "Alan Raph". Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  12. "BEYOND BOUNDARIES". Retrieved 1 August 2016.
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