Nicholas Armstrong, Artistic Director Emeritus, Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra
JOHN ADAMS
The Chairman Dances
ERNST SACHSE
Trombone Concertino in Bb Major
Giuseppe Laino, trombone
ALBERT ROUSSEL
Sinfonietta for Strings Op. 52
RICHARD STRAUSS
Death and Transfiguration
BSO Artistic Director Emeritus Nicholas Armstrong conducts our season opening with a program of powerful contrasts. John Adams’s The Chairman Dances sets a vibrant, kinetic tone, followed by Sachse’s brilliant Trombone Concertino featuring Giuseppe Laino as soloist. Roussel’s Sinfonietta for Strings brings clarity and elegance, and Strauss’s epic Death and Transfiguration closes with sweeping drama.
Nicholas Armstrong, Artistic Director Emeritus
For over 30 years, Nick Armstrong led the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, making it one of the finest community orchestras in the New York City area. Armstrong has been active as an opera and symphony conductor, violinist, and vocal coach. He has conducted throughout the United States and Europe, and in his native England, where he began his musical studies and was graduated from the University of Bristol with a degree in composition and viola. Armstrong subsequently studied conducting at the Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello in Venice, where he was also a member of the Teatro La Fenice orchestra. He has worked with Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta, Norman Del Mar, Nino Rota, and Otto Werner Mueller. Armstrong earned a Master's degree in conducting from the Virginia Commonwealth University. While studying in Richmond, he conducted a performance of the Verdi Requiem for the re-opening of the Loew's Theater for live performing arts. Armstrong was Music Director of the New Music Orchestra of Washington and the Montgomery County Youth Chamber Orchestra. As an opera conductor, he has led performances of the Prince George's (MD), Richmond, Capitol (DC), and Victorian Lyric Opera Companies.
Giuseppe Laino, Trombone
Born in Calabria, Italy (1994), Giuseppe Laino is Principal Trombone of the Orchestra Filarmonica della Calabria and Professor of Trombone at the Conservatory of Music “P.I. Tchaikovsky” in Nocera Terinese.
He earned his Master’s degree at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Gianluca Gagliardi, graduating with highest honors (110/110 with distinction). He has pursued further studies with renowned teachers including Joseph Alessi, Colin Williams, Steven Norrell, David Finlayson, Per Brevig, Denson Paul Pollard, and many others.
Laino has performed widely across Europe and beyond, appearing with orchestras such as the Orchestra del Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo, Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana, Orchestra del Teatro Giglio di Lucca, and Spira Mirabilis, serving both as Principal and Second Trombone. He has also recorded with the Orchestra Filarmonica della Calabria.
As a soloist, he has won multiple first prizes at international competitions in Italy and has performed concertos and chamber music with various ensembles.