ANTHONY BALESTER

Anthony is a retired Master Sergeant from the US Air Force, where he was formerly saxophonist with the Band of Liberty and Band of Mid-America, where he was a featured soloist. As an Air Force musician, he also performed with John Pizzarelli, Ann Hampton Callaway, Gary Puckett, Bobby Rydell, Crystal Gayle, Jiggs Whigham, Darlene Love, and Bobby Shew. He attended Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, where in 2002, he graduated Magna cum Laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Saxophone Performance and Music Education. As a student at Ithaca, he performed with the Ithaca College Wind Ensemble at Alice Tully Hall in celebration of Karel Husa's 80th birthday and received a grant from the Charles A. Dana Foundation to study contemporary saxophone works and recordings. Anthony also attended the New England Conservatory of Music, graduating with a Master's Degree in Saxophone Performance with Academic Honors in 2011. He is a former member of the extension faculty at Wellesley Public Schools in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Anthony is a member of the North American Saxophone Alliance and has premiered solo and chamber works for saxophone at their conferences. He has performed with the Boston Philharmonic, the Boston Civic Symphony, the Reading (MA) Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Wind Symphony, the Compaq Big Band, and written for Saxophone Journal. Anthony has also performed with the Royal Hawaiian Band and was a featured performer at the 2018 Hawaii International Music Festival. He has co-commissioned works for saxophone by Joan Tower, David Amram, Ken Fuchs, and Marc Mellits. His arrangements for saxophone quartet are available online at Sheet Music Direct and Sheet Music Plus. He currently resides in Bolton, Massachusetts and has also taught lessons for Note-worthy Experiences throughout the MetroWest area.  In addition to freelancing, he performs regularly with the Oberlaender Hofbrau Band, the Boston Firemen's Band, and the Italian American Band of Lawrence, MA.. His musical teachers include Steven Mauk, Ken Radnofsky, Jerry Bergonzi, and Hal Crook.