Biographies

“Beautiful...lyrical...stunning...stupefying”.

“Trumpet player supreme.”- Syracuse Post Standard

“Finely tuned wind, easy control, polyharmonic wit, orchestral

penmanship, punctuated spiritual warmth...rarely do so many qualities find

themselves in one musician.” - Chick Corea

Equally at home in a multitude of musical idioms, Allen Vizzutti has visited 70 countries, Japan

49 times, and every state in the union to perform with a rainbow of artists and ensembles

including Chick Corea, Doc; Severinsen, the NBC Tonight Show Band, the Airmen Of Note,

the Army Blues and Army Symphony Orchestra, Chuck Mangione, Woody Herman, Japan’s

NHK Orchestra and the New Tokyo Philharmonic, the Budapest Radio Orchestra, the Saint

Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Leipzig Wind Symphony, the Slovenian National Orchestra and

the Kosei Wind Orchestra. Performing as a classical and a jazz artist, often in the same

evening, he has appeared as guest soloist with symphony orchestras in Japan, Germany, St.

Louis, Seattle, Rochester N.Y., Dallas, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Phoenix, Edmonton, Vancouver,

Seattle and Minnesota to name a few. Music lovers in Germany, Poland, England, Sweden,

Brazil, Canada, Japan, Australia and the United States have heard his brilliant sound over the

airwaves of national television. Allen's status as an artist has led to solo performances at the

Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Newport Jazz Festival, Banff Center for the Performing Arts,

Montreaux Jazz Festival, the Teton, Vail, Aspen and Breckenridge Music Festivals, the Charles

Ives Center, Suntory Hall & Opera City Hall in Tokyo and Lincoln Center in New York City.

From his home in Seattle Washington, Allen’s current career activities embody an impressive

schedule of recitals, concerts, recording and composing. His continued commitment to music

education and the value of music in everyday life results in an extensive schedule of guest

appearances throughout North America, South America, Europe, Japan, Australia, Asia and

New Zealand.

Allen's many recordings include “Ritzville” featuring Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke,

(available at www. vizzutti.com and on iTunes). Other solo jazz recordings include “Trumpet

Summit” and “Skyrocket” from Summit Records. Classical recordings currently available,

(DeHaske Classical Recordings), are “The Emerald Concerto and Other Gems”, with the

Budapest Radio Orchestra, “Vizzutti Plays Vizzutti” and “Vizzutti and Soli On Tour”. His “High

Class Brass”, (on iTunes), is a wonderfully unique classical and jazz blend co-produced, co-

written and performed with fellow trumpet artist, composer and conductor, Jeff Tyzik along with

a 90-piece studio orchestra. (on iTunes) Other outstanding Vizzutti recordings are “Baroque

and Beyond”, (CBS/Sony), “The Carnival of Venus”, (Summit Records), and “A Trumpeter’s

Dream, (Ludwig Music Publishing).

As Artist in Residence, Allen has taught at the Eastman School of Music, the University of

North Texas, the University of South Carolina, the Banff Center for the Performing Arts,

Kansas State University, Ohio State University, West Texas State University, the Skidmore

Jazz Institute, and the Trompeten Akademie of Bremen Germany. His extensive treatise, “The

Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method” and his “New Concepts for Trumpet”, (Alfred Music Publishing), have become standards works for trumpet study worldwide. Many more of Allen’s jazz and

classical books, play along recordings, and student and recital compositions are published by

DeHaske/Hal Leonard, BIM Switzerland, and Village Place Music. His writing includes solo

pieces for piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trombone, tuba, and harp, chamber groups, wind

ensemble, jazz ensemble, and symphony orchestra.

Allen’s love of expression through composition has led to premier performances by the Los

Angeles Philharmonic, Budapest Radio Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic of London, the

Nuremberg Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Syracuse Symphony, London Symphony, the

renowned Summit Brass, the Royal Philharmonic Brass and others. After the world premier of

his “Emerald Concerto” with the Syracuse Symphony Allen’s writing was described in review:

“The Emerald Concerto sparkles!...a vivacious treatment which speaks well for both his

dramatic instinct and technical prowess as a composer.”

While growing up in Montana, Allen was taught by his father, a self taught musician and

trumpet player, until he left home to attend the Eastman School of Music on full scholarship.

There he earned the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees, a Performer’s

Certificate, a chair in the Eastman Brass Quintet faculty ensemble, and the first Artist’s

Diploma ever awarded a wind player in Eastman’s history.

Allen has performed on over 150 motion picture sound tracks, (such as Back To The Future

and Star Trek), as well as countless TV shows, commercials and recordings with such artists

as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Chick Corea, the Commodores and Prince.

His soaring sound can be heard on recent the movies, “Mirror, Mirror”, “Furry Vengeance”, “40

Days and 40 Nights”, “Unfaithfully Yours”, “Gridiron Gang”, “Scary Movie Four”, “The Hulk” and

the “Medal of Honor”, “Gears of War”, “World of Warcraft” ,and “Halo” video games. More

information is available at www.vizzutti.com 

Allen Vizzutti is a Yamaha Performing Artist

 Allen and Laura Vizzutti met while studying at the world famous Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. They married 17 years later and have since toured the world performing recitals together and as soloists. Their recordings include the incredible  Carnival of Venus, and  A Trumpeter’s Dream. 

Laura can be heard performing on movie sound tracks such as “Zeus and Roxanne”, has recorded “Rhapsody in Blue” with the international ensemble ‘Ten of the Best’ and travels extensively performing in Europe, Japan, Australia and North America. 

Ms. Vizzutti’s many performances include appearances with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Brass, the Cardiff Wales Chamber Orchestra, the famous Lakeside Chamber Music Series, University of Washington’s Meany Hall Faculty Recital Series, The Orcas Island music Festival and in recital with members of the Seattle Symphony. 

Allen has performed in over 70 countries, has 12 solo recordings in both classical and jazz styles and is an accomplished composer. He has earned premier performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Rochester N.Y. Philharmonic, the Budapest Radio Orchestra, the Nuremberg Symphony, the London Symphony, and the United States Army, Navy and Air Force Bands. His trumpet playing can be heard on over 150 movie and game sound tracks including Back To The Future, Star Trek, Halo, World of Warcraft and Call of Duty. The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method and New Concepts for Trumpet published by Alfred Music Publishers are used world wide.  

Allen has performed and toured with Chick Corea, Woody Herman, Chuck Mangione and ‘Doc’ Severinsen. He is currently composing new works, recording and touring internationally in both classical and jazz settings. Those times when Allen is not on tour you may find him at home in Seattle rearranging his sock drawer. His latest jazz recording on which Laura, Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke perform is called “Ritzville”, available at www.vizzutti.com and on iTunes.

Allen Vizzutti’s Favorite Bio: (You may use this if you wish – really. AV) 

Allen Vizzutti has never been in prison. He has never jumped out of a flying airplane. He has gone swimming with sharks in the South Seas, which prepared him for later life in Hollywood. He attended college at the Eastman School of Music, which proved to be a very positive springboard from which he dove into the weird and twisted world of professional music. It was there he met a marvelous and beautiful pianist named Laura who married him much later - after listening to 17 years of his begging. 

Allen grew up in Montana, USA, land of the grizzly bear, full sized pickups, cattle, sheep, red necks, rattlesnakes, watery beer and cowboy boots. He still managed to become a professional musician. His Dad did not own any guns, did not chew tobacco, and did not rope cows. He owned a music store and taught Allen to play trumpet. Allen’s Mom helped too and if you had asked her she would have told you Allen is the best trumpet player in the world. 

Mr. Vizzutti has never really been employed. After the last note of the last piece of any given concert he is unemployed again. So he has learned to play some jazz and some classical and some other stuff that we don’t know how to describe, with the hopes of staying busy. Along with having written a few books and lots of confused music he is almost successful enough to be deemed ‘successful’. Almost. 

After hearing Mr. Vizzutti in concert, listeners in over 70 countries and every state in the USA have asked the question, “What?” His many CDs in varied styles have been ignored worldwide. He has performed on 100’s of movie sound tracks but not ‘Star Wars.” They recorded that in London so don’t ask him about it. “Motel Hell”? Now that’s another matter. He played on that. “Back to the Future”? Yup. His educational video called “Steps To Excellence” is now an out of print classic. An updated podcast version can be viewed at www.yamaha.com. The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method is used world wide. Go figure. 

Mr. Vizzutti is proud of and outclassed by his wife and collaborator, Laura. She plays music beautifully and is a lot better to look at than he is. They live in Seattle, have 3 pretty cool offspring and no current pets. Marcella the rabbit was choked by a dog, Fluffy the fish was found floating upside down and subsequently flushed, and Hobs the hamster, was smacked in the middle of the night by Grandma, in her bedroom, with a shoe. Though these artisans of world class, hand crafted musical instruments roll their eyes when they say it: Allen Vizzutti is a Yamaha performing artist. Please visit: www.vizzutti.com 

“Beautiful...lyrical...stunning...stupefying”. 

“Trumpet player supreme.” - Syracuse Post Standard  

“Finely tuned wind, easy control, polyharmonic wit, orchestral penmanship, punctuated spiritual warmth...rarely do so many qualities find themselves in one musician.”  - Chick Corea

Equally at home in a multitude of musical idioms, Allen Vizzutti has visited 70 countries and every state in the union to perform with a rainbow of artists and ensembles. Performing as a classical and a jazz artist, often in the same evening, he has appeared as guest soloist with symphony orchestras, in recital, on television and in jazz venues around the world.

While growing up in Montana, Allen was taught by his father, a self-taught musician. Allen attended the Eastman School of Music where he earned the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees, a Performer’s Certificate, a chair in the Eastman Brass Quintet faculty ensemble and the first Artist’s Diploma ever awarded a wind player in Eastman’s history. 

Allen’s love of expression through composition has led to premier performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Budapest Radio Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic of London, the Nuremberg Symphony and others. After the world premier of his “Emerald Concerto” with the Syracuse Symphony Allen’s writing was described in review: “The Emerald Concerto sparkles!...a vivacious treatment which speaks well for both his dramatic instinct and technical prowess as a composer.” 

As Artist in Residence, Allen has taught at leading universities throughout the world including the Eastman School of Music, the Banff Center for the Performing Arts, the Trompeten Akademie of Bremen Germany and currently at the University of South Carolina. His extensive treatise, “The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method” and his “New Concepts for Trumpet”, (Alfred Music Publishing), have become standards works for trumpet study worldwide.  Additional information about Allen Vizzutti is always available at <www.vizzutti.com > 

Allen Vizzutti is a Yamaha performing artist