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Biography Born in Paris and growing up in Nice, France, Dominic
Derasse studied trumpet with Gaston Cagnon, solfege and theory at the Nice
conservatory of music. During that time
he was playing with "Nice La Belle" (a local folkloric group) at 13 traveling
across Europe and even performing at the 1972 Munich olympics. By 14 he was playing regularly with a dance
band and at 15 played his first professional job with the Nice opera performing
in the stage band for "La Boheme".
After graduating from high school, Dominic spent the summer of 1976
studying at Boston University's Tanglewood Institute: Young Artists' Orchestra
where he was involved in daily orchestra rehearsals as well as chamber music
and private lessons with Roger Voisin.
Some of the conductors that summer were Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa,
Klaus Tennstedt. Upon is return to
France, Dominic Derasse fulfilled his national duties in the military service
and was enlisted in the band of the 8th Infantry at the "Mont
Valerien" just outside Paris. While in
the service, he studied with Roger Delmotte at the Versailles conservatory
before entering the Paris National Conservatory of Music in autumn 1977 in
Pierre Thibaud's class. During his
years at the Paris conservatory, Dominic became very active professionally in
Paris, free-lancing in recording sessions, shows, symphony orchestras and
operas. He graduated from the Paris
conservatory with First Prize in 1979. In the summer of 1979 he toured South Africa, Rhodesia (now
Zimbabwe) and Mauritius Island with a brass quintet that included Roger
Delmotte, Pierre Dutot, Michel Becquet and Jacky Fourquet. Mr. Derasse received a full scholarship from
the "Commission Franco-Americaine" in Paris that fall and went to Boston to
study jazz at Berklee College of Music for two semesters. This would turn out to be a very important
time in his life. On recommendation
from Jon Faddis, whom he had met at the Nice Jazz Festival, Dominic Derasse
studied with Carmine Caruso in New York City.
Mr. Caruso's techniques and philosophies became so important to Dominic
that he traveled by bus twice a week, from Boston, to study with the Master. Upon returning to France, Mr. Derasse quickly became very much in demand on the french musical scene touring that summer of 1980 with two french "Pop Stars": Enrico Macias and Francois Valery. In October of that year, Mr. Derasse won two orchestral auditions, one for principal trumpet of the Nice Orchestra (his hometown) that he turned down upon winning the position with the "Orchestre Colonne" in Paris. In late 1981, Derasse played lead trumpet for the "Broadway" production of "West Side Story" that was on tour in Paris. In 1982, he became "Lead Trumpet" of the "Folies Bergere" show in Paris in addition to becoming one of the most sought after "studio musicians". Mr. Derasse also was the 1982
laureate of the French National Teaching Diploma in trumpet and began to teach
at the Vernon (Eure) and Vaulx le Penil (Ile De France) music conservatories. In the summer of 1984, Dominic Derasse was invited by Roger
Voisin and Gunther Schuller to participate in the Berkshire Music Center at
Tanglewood where he met Charles Schlueter.
The seeds for Dominic Derasse's decision to move to the United States of
America were planted there that summer.
Mr. Derasse made that move on April 21st, 1985 leaving behind
his family and his busy work schedule. In August 1985, Dominic won the position of principal
trumpet with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in South Carolina under the
baton of David Stahl and remained there until May 1987 when he made his
permanent move to New York City. Since
moving to New York, Mr. Derasse has fast become one of the most sought after
trumpet players and educators in the area.
In addition to his position as principal trumpet with the now defunct
Eos Orchestra, his versatility has allowed him to perform with a wide variety
of musical organizations. (orchestral and show
experience) Dominic Derasse has appeared on numerous musical recordings and live performances. Mr. Derasse has performed as a classical soloist and has
presented master classes and lectures in Europe, the U.S., Japan, Africa and
South America. (solo appearances&
masterclasses) Dominic
Derasse has played on more than 60 motion picture soundtracks, (List of movies) including the
Oscar winning score to"Frida". He has
recorded commercials for more than 100 different companies and has performed
numerous themes for television, (TV and Jingles) Mr. Derasse was also the Founder, President & Executive
Director of the New York FILMharmonic
Orchestra, a 92 piece orchestra dedicated to the live performance of music
written for film and television. The
orchestra performed a concert at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Oscar
winning composer Jerry Goldsmith on October 4th, 1998. The entire repertoire for that performance
was by Jerry Goldsmith. This marked
only the second time in Carnegie Hall's history that a program was not only
devoted to a single composer but also conducted by that composer. The only time this had happened before was
at a concert conducted by P.I. Tchaikovsky.
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