theartsdesk Q&A: Trumpeter Alison Balsom

Glamour puss demands to be judged on sound rather than looks

by Jasper ReesSaturday, 28 May 2011

Alison Balsom: Much more than just a pretty face

A tall and exceptionally striking Valkyrie of a blonde, Alison Balsom (b 1978) is the polar antithesis of a hard-drinking, slightly tubby, very male trumpeter from central casting. For the photoshoots which fetch up on her CD sleeves, and public performances such as Last Night of the Proms in 2009 and this month’s Classic Brits, she pours herself elegantly into a series of dresses in the style of a hot young violinist kidnapped by the marketing department. But there is of course a great deal more to Balsom.

Of course classical music is not dying. But it’s not doing itself any favours by having these recordings which are perfect and sometimes lifeless

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