Jim Vassallo

Affiliate Artist in Trumpet

Jim Vassallo (trumpet) served as Principal Trumpet with the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet Orchestras for thirty-eight years from 1980-2018.  Throughout his career he has also been a frequent guest with the Houston Symphony Orchestra and regular member of the Grand Teton Festival Orchestra since 1994.  As a soloist, as well as an orchestral and chamber musician, Mr. Vassallo has toured throughout the United States and Europe, performing in Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and Cairo, Egypt, where he spent two weeks performing for the opening of the New Cairo Opera House.  Throughout his tenure, he has been featured in over fifteen professional recordings and participated in over fourteen world premiere performances.  Notable world premieres include Leonard Bernstein’s opera “A Quiet Place”, John Adams’ “Nixon in China”, Andre Previn’s “Brief Encounter”, as well as three live performances on the PBS “Great Performances” television series.  Mr. Vassallo has been an Affiliate Artist in trumpet at the Moores School of Music since 1978 and has numerous former students currently performing with symphony orchestras throughout the country.