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Trombone Instruction with Domingo Pagliuca

February 2, 2021

Domingo Pagliuca is a Latin Grammy Award-winning trombonist who was born in Venezuela and graduated with honors from the University of Miami with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music in Instrumental Performance. His versatility as an instrumentalist in different musical genres has led him to be one of the most in-demand musicians in Venezuela and Latin America for recording sessions and musical productions in the commercial field. Currently, Domingo plays with the world-renowned Boston Brass, serves as Principal Trombone of the Palm Beach Symphony Orchestra (PBS) and Principal Trombone of the Florida Grand Opera Orchestra (FGO).

Inspired by his father, and under his tutelage, Domingo began his musical studies at an early age at the José Angel Lamas School of Music in Caracas. Upon completing high school, Domingo went on to study with Maestro Keith Brown for two years at Indiana University.

Returning to Venezuela at the age of 18, Domingo made his solo debut with the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra at the Teresa Carreño Theater.

In 1988, Domingo received a full scholarship to complete his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music at the University of Miami. In 1989, Domingo was the first trombonist to win the U of M. “Concerto Competition”. In 1992, Domingo received the “Performer of the Year” diploma and in 1995, after finishing his master's degree, received the diploma of Honor and Excellence awarded by the Graduate School of the University of Miami.

As a trombone soloist, Domingo has performed multiple times nationally and internationally accompanied by symphonic orchestras. These include the Orquesta Sinfónica de Venezuela, Orquesta Sinfónica de Colombia, Central Ohio Symphony, Orquesta Sinfónica de Carabobo (Vzla), performing the trombone concertos by Nino Rota, F. David, Rimsky Korsakov, F. Graffe, and LE. Larsson. In October 2015 he performed the J. Beckel Concerto for Trombone and Band at Kansas State University.

From 1995-2008, Domingo was Associate Principal Trombone with the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra. When not performing, Domingo was a passionate educator in charge of the National Trombone Academy of Venezuela, as well as a professor at the Simón Bolívar music conservatory, the National Experimental University of the Arts (UNEARTE), and chamber music coach of the SISTEMA (an orchestral musical program of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra).

Domingo has toured throughout the United States, Latin America, and Europe with Latin Grammy-winner artists Franco De Vita, Juan Luis Guerra & 4.40, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Rubén Blades, Luis Enrique, Raphael, and Oscar D'Leon.

In July 2013, Domingo joined world-renown BOSTON BRASS. As part of this Yamaha Performing Group, he conducts master classes and performs to audiences all over the world. In June 2019, Domingo released his first solo album, entitled “Eternal Gratitude”, which won a Latin Grammy Award in the category of Best Classical Music Album, produced by the famous musician and pedagogue Maestro Sam Pilafian.

Instructional Videos

In this series of videos, Palm Beach Symphony's principal trombone player Domingo Pagliuca explores trombone fundamentals, including breathing and posture, air and sound emission, practicing articulation with the metronome, and syncing slide movement with articulation.