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Ben Pelletier is a highly sought-after trombonist who works in all areas of the profession, equally at home on the stage or in the studio. He maintains a busy schedule as a recording artist, sideman, section player, and soloist while traveling frequently for guest appearances with orchestras and on tours with major pop artists. A multi-instrumentalist, in addition to the trombone, Ben regularly performs on the euphonium, bass trombone, alto trombone, and bass trumpet.
Ben was raised in the wilds of Alaska before being awarded the Most Outstanding Musician Award at the McDonald's All-American Band and joining the Yamaha Young Performing Artist program in 1990. He studied as a scholarship student at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, earning a Bachelor of Music with Distinction and a Performer's Certificate. Following graduation, he was awarded a comprehensive fellowship to continue his education at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music in Houston, Texas. While there, he served as Rice University's Instructor of Trombone and subsequently received his Master's Degree.
Mr. Pelletier has performed extensively throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe. Highlights include performances at New York's Carnegie Hall, the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, a season of opera with the Honolulu Symphony, concerts with the Polish National Opera, and participation in the Swedish premier of Elgar's Third Symphony with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic. He has been featured in concerts with the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado, the Chautauqua Symphony, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Miami-based New World Symphony, and at the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
Based in Hong Kong, Mr. Pelletier has established an active performing career spanning the classical and commercial/pop scenes. Principal trombonist of the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, he frequently performs with other top orchestras and ensembles in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. He has performed with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, the Singapore Symphony, the Macao Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Wind Philharmonia. He is a founding member of the successful chamber music ensembles the Fiesta Trombone Quartet, and the Fresh Air Brass Quintet. A modern music enthusiast, he is the solo trombonist of the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble.
He is well-known for his work as a lead player, and featured soloist, with virtually every big band in Hong Kong. Most notably, he has performed with the Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra, the Anthony Fernandes Big Band, the Stray Katz, the Michael Wong Big Band, Lando Bernal's Big Broad Band, and Allen Youngblood's Jazbalaya. Additionally, he plays in and manages both the popular Pete Moore Superband and Martini Nation. Ben has long been Hong Kong's first-call trombonist for commercial recordings, television, motion pictures, and live theater. As a recording artist, his session work features on many commercial soundtracks for feature films, television programs, advertisements, jingles, singles and over two hundred albums and DVD recordings.
He has performed, toured, and recorded with the Temptations, Patrizio Buanne, Michel LeGrand, Gipsy Kings, Mary Wilson (Supremes), Rosemary Clooney, Robin Gibb (Bee Gees), Chuck Mangione, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Gloria Gaynor, Allen Vizzutti, and many of Asia's best-known performers including Alan Tam, Khalil Fong, Leo Ku, Kelly Chen, Leon Lai, Nicholas Tse, Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok, Eason Chan, Gary Chaw, Sammi Cheng, Justin Lo, William So, Alex To, CoCo Lee, Leslie Cheung, Francis Yip, Teresa Carpio, Chris Wong, Grace Yip, Joey Yung, Choi Kam, and many others. Ben was the trombonist on the Guinness record-setting global tours with superstar Jacky Cheung, the "I am a Singer" television series and the Eason Chan "L.I.F.E." tour.
He has served as band leader and trombonist for numerous West End/Broadway-style productions. Among his extensive theatre credits are: 42nd Street, The King and I, The Pirates of Penzance, Crazy For You, La Cage aux Folles, Oklahoma, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Kiss Me Kate, Sweet Charity, Annie, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Annie Get Your Gun, My Fair Lady, Anything Goes and Oliver, The Phantom of the Opera, Singing in the Rain, and Wicked. 2009 found Ben serving as trombonist and contractor for the New York-based touring production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella starring Lea Salonga.
Ben is sought after as a clinician and member of adjudicating panels for instrumental competitions and is well known as a pedagogue and coach. Masterclasses at institutions in Asia and North America are another frequent avenue for articulating his passion for brass performance practice and expanding his role as an educator. Mr. Pelletier maintains adjunct faculty appointments at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University, and the Hong Kong University's School for Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE).
As well as performing and teaching, he is able to share his love for music further in his capacity as a music broadcaster. He has hosted Radio Television Hong Kong's flagship arts and culture television programme 'The Works' since its inception. Broadcast weekly to critical acclaim, the programme is now in its twelfth season of production.
He enjoys relaxing with his wife Alice, a violist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and their daughter Maya. In his spare time, Mr. Pelletier can be found paragliding, scuba diving, and riding his motorcycle.
As a Bach artist, Ben Pelletier plays Bach trombones exclusively and is a specialist for Conn-Selmer and Parsons Music
For concert or clinic information, please contact:
or call (852) 9752 3546
please also visit: www.bachbrass.com
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