Allen Vizzutti

Biography

Born and raised in Missoula, Montana, Vizzutti first learned the trumpet from his father, Lido Vizzutti. At age 16, Vizzutti won the concerto competition and was awarded first chair in the World Youth Symphony Orchestra at Interlochen, Michigan. He earned a B.M., M.M. and a Performer’s Certificate, and the only Artist’s Diploma ever awarded to a wind player from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

Allen Vizzutti has performed in 60 countries with an array of artists and ensembles including Chick Corea, Doc Severinsen, The NBC Tonight Show Band, the Airmen of Note, the Army Blues, Chuck Mangione, Woody Herman, Japan’s NHK Symphony Orchestra and the Kosei Wind Orchestra. Performing as a classical and jazz artist, he has appeared as a guest soloist with symphony orchestras in Tokyo, Germany, St. Louis, Syracuse, Honolulu, Milwaukee and Phoenix to name a few. Vizzutti has performed solo at the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Newport Jazz Festival, Banff Center for the Performing Arts, Montreaux Jazz Festival, the Charles Ives Center and the Lincoln Center in New York.

He has performed on more than 150 motion picture soundtracks, such as: Back to the Future, Star Trek, The Black Stallion, Rocky II, Poltergeist II, Fire Fox, Sudden Impact, 10, Under the Cherry Moon, Broadcast News, The Electric Horseman and 1941.

Vizzutti composed many orchestra works which led to world premieres by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony, Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic and the Tonight Show Orchestra, as well as recorded works by the Royal Philharmonic of London, the Woody Herman Band, the Summit Brass and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Vizzutti has taught at the Eastman School of Music, University of Washington, the Banff Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas State University, West Texas State University, the University of South Carolina, Skidmore Jazz Institute, and the Trompeten Akademie of Bremen, Germany.

The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method, published by Alfred Music, have become standard works for trumpet study worldwide. Many more of his jazz and classical books, play-along recordings, student pieces, chamber music, and recital compositions have been published by Alfred, Southern Music Company, Village Place Music and DeHaske/Hal Leonard Publications. He wrote, performed, and produced an educational available for free as a podcast at <www.yamaha.com> Vizzutti is a Yamaha Performing Artist.

Vizzutti has three children with his wife Laura, all successful musicians.