Joseph Tomasso, tenor saxophone

Joseph Michael Tomasso is a woodwind specialist living in the central florida area. He holds bachelor of performance degrees in both saxophone and clarinet, as well as a master degree in woodwind pedagogy with an emphasis on oboe performance. Outside of his involvement with Onyx, Joseph performs with pianist Amy Blackwood in the chamber duo Flight of the Woodchords and as part of the woodwind duo Ether with clarinettist Garrett L. Matlock. Joseph formerly held the principal saxophone position of the Wheaton Municipal Band (1999-2002) and was a state finalist in the MTNA chamber music competition (2005 IL, 2006 IL, 2008 NC). Joseph currently holds the 2nd clarinet position with the Gainesville Chamber Orchestra as well as auxiliary saxophone. He has also performed with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra (Oboe/English horn) and remains an active freelancer for other orchestras throughout the country.

Joseph holds degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and University of North Carolina Greensboro. His former saxophone teachers include Roger Birkeland, Debra Richtmeyer, Susan Fancher, and Steven Stusek. He previously held a graduate teaching assistantship at the University of North Carolina where was responsible for undergraduate woodwind methods courses. He is currently the advanced woodwinds instructor and double reed specialist at Great Southern Music in Gainesville Florida.