Tony Glausi
Hailed as "a great writer and a terrific trumpet player" by legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach, and considered by many to be one of the brightest young musical minds, Tony Glausi is establishing his voice in the music industry as an award-winning, internationally recognized trumpeter, keyboardist, composer, arranger and producer with a distinct story to tell.
Among other accolades, Tony placed 1st in the jazz division of the National Trumpet Competition in March of 2014 and took 1st prize in the jazz division of the International Trumpet Competition at the ITG conference in June of 2017. Tony has been recognized in two separate issues of Downbeat Jazz & Blues Magazine for outstanding improvised solos and compositions. He was the sole recipient of the 2016-17 Laurie Frink Career Grant, a substantial monetary award given every other year to a young brass player in honor of Laurie’s legacy as an incomparably inspiring pedagogue, mentor and friend. Tony has also had the unique privilege of engaging in private studies with Wynton Marsalis, one of his greatest heroes and influences.
Tony Glausi grew up in a musical family—his mother and all four of his grandparents were professional musicians in varying capacities—and was exposed to music of all genres, developing an affinity for gospel hymns, classical music, jazz, R&B and hip-hop. At a very young age he taught himself to play his favorite melodies on the piano by ear and later mastered these abilities through advanced studies in piano performance and theory. A trumpeter and composer by the age of ten, it was later in high school when Tony began to focus on jazz and improvisation.
Playing over one hundred shows last year and having already recorded on more than twenty-five albums, Tony currently maintains a full schedule as an active performer and recording artist. As a trumpeter he leads his own jazz quintet and nine-piece band, both of which play entirely original music, and he co-leads Red Pants Trio as keyboardist and chief arranger. With his own bands Tony has released three full-length albums thus far and is also very active on YouTube frequently releasing singles, cover songs and music videos.
As a composer, Tony draws inspiration from his earliest musical influences while also channeling current trends in the music industry. He has written works for small and large jazz ensembles, various chamber ensembles, pop and hip-hop groups, and several short films and TV web series. His pieces have been commissioned on over a dozen occasions to be performed and recorded by a slew of world-class musicians.
While completing a bachelor's degree in jazz performance (2015) and a master’s in jazz composition (2017) at the University of Oregon, Tony had the opportunity to study with several world-renowned faculty members including Brian McWhorter and Steve Owen, and he composed for, performed, and recorded with university ensembles including the prestigious Oregon Jazz Ensemble, the JazzArts Oregon Combo, the UO Trumpet Ensemble, and the university’s premier brass quintet. During those five cumulative years of collegiate studies he was also involved with other Oregon-based groups including OrchestraNEXT, Beta Collide, and the Eugene Composer’s Big Band.
A passionate and devoted music educator, Tony currently works for the University of Oregon, the John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts, and in communities both local and abroad. He is the founding director of the Shedd Youth Jazz Orchestra, maintains a private lesson studio in Eugene, OR, and consistently engages with middle schools, high schools, colleges, and summer camps throughout the United States.
For more information about Tony, please visit: http://www.tonyglausi.com/.
