Search - Angelo Musolino, Kirk Trevor, Adolphe Saxquartette :: Angelo Musolino: Opening Doors

In the program notes Tristan Willems writes: "It is impossible to classify the life and work of Angelo Musolino. Like you, I grew up hearing his arrangements, orchestrations and commercials on the radio and television, on records and on Broadway on a weekly basis without ever knowing his name or who he was. He was one of those nameless, faceless craftsmen who made the "stars" look good. Simultaneously, his works were being heard in concert halls around the United States and elsewhere. Angelo Musolino was born in New York City and began his musical studies under his father, who taught him mandolin, guitar and violin. For ten years he studied harmony, counterpoint, composition, arranging and orchestration. He would study during the day and in the evening, would earn a living as an arranger and sideman in the many bands and theaters that made up the "New York Nightlife." He played guitar with Dizzy Gillespie, and contributed arrangements to the bands of Guy Lombardo and Art Mooney. He was an arranger and bassist of the Henry Jerome Big Band at the Edison Hotel in New York City for many years (during which time Alan Greenspan - the director of the Federal Reserve - played saxophone). He also conducted a private performance of Edgar Varese's Ionization under the composer's direction. Concurrently, he was writing music for the Ed Sullivan Show, theme music for half a dozen nationally syndicated game shows, and Children's Television Workshop (Sesame Street and Electric Company). His concert music is no less impressive - more than 500 works in every genre from art songs to instrumental sonatas and ensembles to choral and symphonic works. Just as he had infused formal musical composition in his popular works, he pulled elements of jazz, swing, be-bop and popular styles into his concert works long before the term "third stream" was ever applied. He has been an educator for more than 40 years, both as private instructor and as a college professor at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Empire State College and Adelphi University where he directs the Pop Ensemble for which he still writes music.