JOEBURGSTALLER

Called “quite simply, a superstar of the trumpet” by conductor JoAnn Falletta, multi-genre international soloist JOE BURGSTALLER connects with audiences throughout the world with his captivating sound, dazzling virtuosity and engaging personality. Known for his creativity and as a story-teller with his instrument, Joe is a long-time trumpeter and arranger with the famed Canadian Brass.

Joe has toured the world many times over as a member of Canadian Brass, as a soloist (most recent appearances include Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Winnipeg, Hamburg, Bologna, US Virgin Islands, etc.), as a crossover artist, as a guest orchestral musician (including Guest Principal of the NDR -Hamburg, Guest Principal of the Malaysian Philharmonic, and in the section of the New York Philharmonic), and as a clinician (more than 129 universities and conservatories so far) with his groundbreaking masterclasses for all instruments called "Change Your Mind, Change Your Playing®”. 

As a teacher, he has been called a “Talent-Whisperer”, and as Associate Professor of Trumpet at Arizona State University he leads a dynamic, one-of-a-kind trumpet studio that comprehensively prepares students for the demands of today's music world, focusing on Artistic Development, Versatility, Entrepreneurship and Career Growth. His teaching combines the very best of traditional techniques with an innovative mental training approach that has its’ roots in the field's breakthrough discoveries of the last two decades.  

Burgstaller’s discography includes hit solo CDs (License to Thrill and The Virtuoso Trumpet) and Top-10 Billboard hits with Canadian Brass. Joe and "License To Thrill" were the subject of an hour-long segment on Korea’s Arirang Television (100 million viewers), as well as an hour-long feature on Sirius-XM Classical Radio. His recent Classical/Jazz-Hybrid crossover CDs with Grammy-nominated pianist Hector Martignon (Bach’s Secret Files and Mozart’s Blue Dreams) were Top-50 on the JazzRadio charts and the Roots Radio Report (under Paul Simon but right above the Beastie Boys).

Burgstaller’s extensive discography includes solo CDs (License to Thrill and The Virtuoso Trumpet) and multiple Top-10 Billboard hits with Canadian Brass. Joe and his latest solo CD "License To Thrill" were recently the subject of an hour-long segment of The INNERView (100 million viewers) on Korea’s Arirang Television, as well as an hour-long feature on Sirius-XM Classical Radio. "License To Thrill" features the music of Vivaldi-Bach, Sting, Jennifer Higdon, Gershwin, Chick Corea and a new commission by Su Lian Tan entitled "Ming". His last two Classical/Jazz-Hybrid crossover CDs with Grammy-nominated pianist Hector Martignon (Bach’s Secret Files and Mozart’s Blue Dreams) were Top-50 on the JazzRadio charts and the Roots Radio Report (under Paul Simon but right above the Beastie Boys).

Prior to Canadian Brass, he was also a member of the avant-garde Meridian Arts Ensemble (6 yrs.), as well as one of the all-time most popular soloists at Columbia Artists’ Community Concerts, performing 60 solo concerts every year. as a member of Canadian Brass and as a soloist, he has performed in front of more than 45 orchestras (Philadelphia, Minnesota, Detroit, Houston, Baltimore, New Jersey, Virginia, et.al), in more than 50 Music Festivals (14 summers at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, CA) and has performed and taught at over 120 universities, conservatories and colleges.  

"Burgstaller is a 'Talent Whisperer' in the truest sense, mixing intuition, experience and an uncommon talent for enabling students to rise above their own limiting beliefs." (Dr. Stephen Paul Adler, Ph.D, CGP, B.C.E.P.T.S. - Director ACT Institute). As an educator, Mr. Burgstaller’s teaching emphasizes creativity, connection, versatility and entrepreneurship, and he combines the best of traditional techniques with an innovative mental training approach that has its roots in the field's modern breakthrough discoveries of the last two decades. His Change Your Mind, Change Your Playing classes have been met with great success (and, frankly, relief) by thousands of participants across the world as he has demystified efficient learning, peak performance, stage fright and human connection. The Armed Forces School of Music identified Joe’s teachings as an integral part of their coursework, and he served as a special clinician for all of their instrumentalists from 2012-2015. His studio at Arizona State University is a is a groundbreaking one-of-a-kind trumpet studio that prepares students for the demands and reality of today's music world.  ASU builds the total player, with a focus on Artistic Development, Versatility, Entrepreneurship and Career Growth. 

Joe is also a pioneer in online-education, and is the creator and host of the LIVE weekly Trumpet Warmup Show, livestreamed on Facebook (averaging 2500 viewers in 20+ countries) and through BandDirector.com (access to 31,000 band directors), Yamaha Europe and Yamaha North America. The Show highlights Joe delivering warmup, pedagogical and teacher segments, and empowers his students as they host their own 2-minute segments, which include: Tips for the Entrepreneurial Student; Poetry Corner; Trumpet News; Advice for Freshman; Webmaster Q&A; Trumpet Talks with Trumpet Titans (interviews); Life Hacks; Practicing Tips; Trumpet Cultural Ambassadors (often in Chinese and Korean).

Joe is a long-time trumpeter and arranger with Canadian Brass. Joe has toured the world many times over with the Brass, performing in recital and with orchestra (Philadelphia, Minnesota, Detroit, Houston, Baltimore, New Jersey, Seattle, et al.) and contributed arrangements to the group as well.  Recordings that spotlight Joe include a Juno-nominated release, Magic Horn, (AllMusicGuide.com heralded Joe's "superb set of arrangements" of Astor Piazzolla), BACH (includes his pyrotechnical arrangement of the Bach-Vivaldi Concerto in D), Legends (featuring his La Virgen de la Macarena – “Unbelievable Virtuosity” – DigitalIndie.net) and High Society ("Burgstaller's piccolo playing throughout this album is no less than perfect… I had to pinch myself for thinking that I heard a high clarinet!" - Brass Herald Magazine).  Canadian Brass CDs featuring Joe became Top-10 Billboard hits.

Prior to joining the Brass, Joe was one of the all-time most popular soloists at Columbia Artists’ Community Concerts (alumni include Van Cliburn and Heifetz).  He was North America's busiest trumpet recitalist, performing nearly 60 solo concerts every season with his Joe Burgstaller: The Rafael Méndez Project.  He developed a community engagement component that took the circuit by storm, and his lauded audience-building plans added over 30 new season-ticket subscribers per presenter.  As a Yamaha Artist and Clinician, Joe reached thousands of students every season, and The Instrumentalist Magazine dubbed Joe "The Next Méndez".  Dr. Robert Méndez, son of the legendary trumpeter, wrote of Joe: "He's mastered my father's works."

His extensive discography includes his solo CD The Virtuoso Trumpet and multiple Top-10 Billboard hits with Canadian Brass.  His first release with BM4, Mozart’s Blue Dreams, vaulted immediately into the Top-50 JazzRadio Charts, playing on over 100 radio stations.  BM4’s followup CD Bach’s Secret Files charted for several months on the Roots Radio Report (under Paul Simon, but right above the Beastie Boys). He is an active arranger and composer, and is in his second decade as a Yamaha Performing Artist. Joe’s hobby is video production, and his inventive music videos for both Mozart’s Blue Dreams and Bach’s Secret Files were debuted worldwide by Yamaha America and Yamaha Europe to an audience of over 10,000 viewers in a special industry-leading video-podcast release.

Joe co-led the crossover jazz quartet BM4 (BurgstallerMartignon4), a New York City-based crossover group that features Grammy and Oscar-nominated musicians.  Their first recording Mozart’s Blue Dreams & Other Crossover Fantasies debuted directly into the Top50 JazzRadio charts and continues to receive rave reviews (“Ethereal moments of true beauty and genius… hip and approachable.” – AllAboutJazz.com; “Stunning!” – JazzNotes). BM4 records for Summit Records (North America) and CARE Music Group (Europe). Their last release, Bach’s Secret Drawer & More Crossover Fantasies was released in April 2011, and charted for several months on the Roots Radio Report (under Paul Simon, but right above the Beastie Boys).

Burgstaller was also member of New York City's Meridian Arts Ensemble (1995-2001), and with that group toured worldwide at concert halls and clubs including NYC's Knitting Factory and CBGB's, and Amsterdam's Bimhuis, received the ASCAP "Adventurous Programming Award" (shared with the Kronos Quartet) and recorded several of his own compositions and arrangements. Gramophone Magazine heralded Joe's original work Lullaby as "an understated gem."

Joe was a child prodigy, beginning the cornet between at age five.  By age twelve he was improvising jazz and soloing with area bands and jazz clubs, and by fifteen was the youngest professional in the Virginia Opera Orchestra. He received both his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Arizona State University (studying with Regents’ Professor David Hickman). Other teachers and mentors include Anthony Plog, Stephen Carlson, Jonathan Greenburg, Gary Gompers and David Fedderly.  Joe was awarded Arizona State University's Inaugural "Distinguished Alumnus Award", and the Inaugural "Outstanding Alumnus Award" from Eastern Music Festival.