Trombone virtuoso Neal Bennett is best known to Canadian audiences as a co-founder of I Tromboni “The Team Canada of Trombones”. This quintet of trombonists has performed at major venues all across Canada including the Chan Centre, the Winspear Centre, the National Arts Centre, Place des Arts, the Fredricton Playhouse and that’s just naming a few. The ensemble is a unique mix of music, unbelievable trombone and entertainment that has pleased literally thousands of audiences across North America.

 

“I TROMBONI IS A PHENOMENAL GROUP YOU COULD SEE ON ANY STAGE, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THEM… NOTHING!”JENS LINDEMANN; TRUMPET VIRTUOSO & CANADIAN BRASS ALUMNUS “THEIR VISIT WAS A MOST ENERGIZING AND EXCITING SET OFPERFORMANCES. ALL WERE CHARMED BY THE MUSIC, THEIR THEATRICS AND BY THEIR INTERACTION WITH THE AUDIENCE. WOW! TRULY A NOT-TO-MISS SHOW WHETHER IN ENGLISH OR FRENCH! BRAVO!”

 

JEAN BARSALOU; PRODUCTION COORDINATOR, NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE OF CANADA

 

As a player trombone soloist Neal Bennett's virtuosity encompasses many trombones and most styles of music including classical, jazz, and new music projects. Jazz and Commercial projects have included playing a swinging lead trombone for Jens Lindemann’s BRASSFIRE spectacular. Notable new music projects have included the Vancouver premieres of Johann DeMeij’s “T-Bone Concerto” with the Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Elizabeth Raum’s “Olmutz Concerto” with the West Coast Symphony and several projects with Redshift new music society. “

 

NEAL BENNETT IS A TROMBONE VIRTUOSO IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. HE POSSESSES A TECHNIQUE NORMALLY RESERVED FOR THE VERY BEST VIOLINISTS, AND COMMUNICATES WITH AN ALMOST OVERWHELMING SINCERITY OF EXPRESSION.”

 

MARK TAKASHI MCGREGOR; REDSHIFT MUSIC ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

 

Neal was recently appointed as professor of trombone and low brass at the Conservatoire de Musique et d'Art Dramatique du Québec. To be a professor at the same institution he studied at is a new responsibility that Neal considers equally important to his performing and recording and one of his proudest moments. In the summer of 2012 Neal recorded a new CD of new music for the RedShift label. This CD will feature 4 works for 8-10 trombones with him performing all the parts and 3 works for trombone alone. The commissions by Redshift for this project include pieces by Juno nominated composer Jocelyn Morlock, VSO composer in residence Scott Good, and winner of the Vancouver 2010 winter Olympic commission Farshid Sammandari. This project recieved generous funding from the City of Vancouver, The Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council.

 

“THE TROMBONE HOLDS AN INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL FOR EXPRESSION PERHAPS NOT YET FULLY REALIZED. AS A SOLO INSTRUMENT IT HOLDS THE POWER TO STAND UP TO ANY ENSEMBLE. THE POTENTIAL PALETTE OF SOUND THAT IS POSSIBLE ON THE TROMBONE IS WIDER AND MORE MYSTERIOUS THAN ANY OTHER INSTRUMENT DUE TO ITS VERY DESIGN. ONLY THE HUMAN VOICE HAS ALL THIS GOING FOR IT. THERE IS A RICH HISTORY GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MIDDLE AGES! AUDIENCES JUST DON’T KNOW THE TROMBONE LIKE THIS YET”

 

NEAL BENNETT; TROMBONE VIRTUOSO, TROMBONE SOLOIST & I TROMBONI CO-FOUNDER

 

Neal Bennett studied with Alain Trudel at the Montreal Conservatory of Music where he attained a unanimous Premier Prix and graduated with the highest mark of any instrument. Neal’s education was later completed with a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of British Columbia. It was during this time that Neal was the recipient of the Canada Council’s A Grant to artists which allowed him to complete his doctorate and the last chapters of his instrumental mastery. The research for this accomplishment took him deep into the monastic libraries of Europe where he sought out and found new works for the alto trombone not performed since the 18th century. Additional study was completed under the tutelage of Jens Lindemann and Wycliffe Gordon at the Banff Centre for the Arts. Neal has two beautiful children with his wife Peggy and enjoys fishing and gourmet cooking as his hobbies when not busy performing or teaching.