OBU Welcomes Renowned Trumpeter Oscar Passley for Oct. 1 Recital

September 23, 2015

OBU is pleased to host Dr. Oscar Passley for a special guest recital in Raley Chapel's Yarborough Auditorium, Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 for the free event.

Passley has shared the stage with such notable musicians as Andrea Bocelli, Wynton Marsalis, Denyce Graves, Michael Sachs, Scott Hartman, Elizabeth Freimuth, Gladys and "Bubba" Knight, Louis Price (former lead singer for The Temptations), Heather Headley, "Bebe" Neuwirth, B. J. Thomas, Bowling for Soup, Steve Lippia, Benjamin Wright, Winard Harper, Regina Carter, Bobby Sparks, Keith Anderson, Brad Leali, Tony Baker, Rebirth Brass Band and Byron Stripling.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Passley graduated from Morgan State University with a B.A. in Music where he studied trumpet with Melvin Miles. He completed a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance and Master of Music Education in 2004-05, studying jazz trumpet with Mike Steinel and classical trumpet with John Holt at the University of North Texas. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in Trumpet Performance at UNT.

Passley has held a teaching assistantship at the University of North Texas and has served on the faculties of the Elan International Music Festival, Blast of Brass Summer Festival, Tarrant County College (Northwest campus), Northlake College and Collin College. He is sought after as an adjudicator and clinician throughout the state of Texas and the nation, conducting clinics and workshops at schools and festivals including the Dallas Music Educators Association Jazz Festival, Tarleton State University Jazz Festival, Baltimore County Public Schools High School All Honors Jazz Concert and the International Trumpet Guild Scholarships Competition. Currently, Passley is the faculty coordinator of the music department at Eastfield College.

During the recital, he will perform selections including "Neruda Trumpet Concerto," "Handel Suite in D Major," "Carnival of Venice" by Herbert Clarke and "Concerto for Cootie" by Ellington.

Passley will be accompanied by Sunny Heesun Yun, a pianist from South Korea. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. She serves as an associate music minister at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Carrollton, Texas. Yun earned a Master of Music from UNT in May 2010, and she also earned a Bachelor of Music from Chugye University for the Arts in Seoul, South Korea.