Double bassist from Ohio and raised in Portland, Oregon, who was in the Aspen Festival Orchestra and Portland Symphony Orchestra while still in school. He furthered his education at the Boston University College of Fine Arts and joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1962.
In 1977, he appeared on a recording of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah with Thomas Dun and the Chorus and Orchestra of the Handel and Haydn Society.
He is also a gliding instructor and met his wife when she was still a student pilot. Her name is Jan Brett and she is a children’s author who has written books such as Berlioz the Bear, Daisy Comes Home, Hedgie’s Surprise, The Mitten, and The Umbrella. Both of their names emblazon a fellowship at Tanglewood Music Center.
In the field of music education, he has been a concert master with project STEP.
Here is the Boston Symphony Orchestra performing Schumann’s Symphony No. 4″ in 1963, the year after Joseph became a member…
Sources:
- http://www.bso.org/brands/bso/about-us/musicians/bso-musicians/strings/basses.aspx
- http://www.bu.edu/cfa/tanglewood/alumni/distinguished/
- http://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/04/entertainment/la-ca-boston-symphony-20111204
- http://www.discogs.com/George-Frideric-Handel-Chorus-Orchestra-Of-The-Handel-Haydn-Society-Thomas-Dunn-Messiah/release/3111454
- http://www.favimp.com/AuthorSample.html
- http://host.madison.com/wsj/entertainment/arts_and_theatre/books/author-artist-jan-brett-likes-to-be-led-by-her/article_94afdd1c-0705-11e1-b487-001cc4c002e0.html
- http://www.projectstep.org/news/pdf/newsletter_fall09.pdf
- http://www.bso.org/micro-sites/tanglewood-music-center/about-us/tmc-fellows.aspx
- http://o.seattlepi.com/books/54032_brett11.shtml