Sam Mendes Wife: Who Is Alison Balsom?

Alison Balsom is an English trumpet soloist, arranger, producer, and music educator. She is the wife of director Sam Mendes. They got married in January 2017. Phoebe, their daughter, was born in September 2017.

Since 2001, Balsom has worked as a solo classical trumpeter. She was a former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, performing much of the main concerto repertoire for solo trumpet and orchestra with all of the BBC Orchestras.

Balsom received the Classical BRIT Award for ‘Young British Classical Performer’ in 2006, as well as the Classic FM Listeners’ Choice Award at the Classic FM Gramophone Awards.

She was named ‘Female Artist of the Year at the Classical BRIT Awards in 2009 and 2011. Balsom received Artist of the Year at the 2013 Gramophone Awards, as well as three Classic BRIT Awards and three German Echo Awards.

In 2009, she performed as a soloist at the BBC Last Night of the Proms. She was the artistic director of the 2019 Cheltenham Music Festival.