Alan Raph was an American bass trombonist, composer, arranger, and conductor who founded and conducted the Danbury Brass Band.
19 Facts About Alan Raph
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Alan Raph recorded with many well-known musicians including Quincy Jones, Philip Glass, Peter Nero, John Pizzarelli and Bob Brookmeyer for television, movies, and ballet.
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Alan Raph was for many years on first call with most New York City recording studios.
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Alan Raph was born in New York City to Marion McGuire and Ted Raph.
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Alan Raph's paternal grandparents were born in Russia and emigrated to the United States in 1893.
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Alan Raph's father Ted was a jazz trombonist in the 1920s and 1930s.
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Alan Raph graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education.
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Alan Raph then studied at Teachers College Columbia University where he received a Masters of Arts degree.
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Alan Raph has studied privately with Nadia Boulanger, John Mehegan, Simon Karasick, and Gabriel Masson.
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Alan Raph was a professor at the Teachers College of Columbia University in New York City, as well as instructor and associate professor at Queens College of the City University of New York.
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Alan Raph got his start in the 1955 when he was hired by Les Elgart, whose orchestra played dance band music.
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Alan Raph was a charter member of the American Symphony Orchestra for which he played the bass trombone.
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Alan Raph was for many years the bass trombone and tuba player on first call with most New York City recording studios.
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Alan Raph was the editor of the Arban Method for Trombone, originally written by Charles Randall and Simone Mantia, and re-published in 2013.
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Alan Raph performed under the direction of Leopold Stokowski with the Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band and the Chamber Brass Players.
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Alan Raph recorded music for many movies and television shows including Sesame Street, The Cosby Show, Name That Tune, The Godfather, The Producers, Midnight Cowboy, Hamburger Hill, Bananas, Kundun, Fog of War, Secret Window, and Taking Lives.
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Alan Raph composed and arranged many pieces for the band and continued as its music director and conductor until his death.
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Alan Raph arranged several songs for the Broadway musical Rockabye Hamlet.
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Alan Raph was awarded the Most Valuable Player award by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.