Oscar Passley

Oscar O. Passley is currently Professor of Music (trumpet) at Dallas Colleges Eastfield Campus.  Dr. Passley has taught previously at University of Texas at Arlington, Tarrant County College, Collin College, as well as privately in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. He is co-founder of the Dallas Trumpet Workshop held annually every summer and has served as faculty for the University of Kentucky Summer Trumpet Institute, Blast of Brass, and the Elan International Music Festival. He is also sought after as an adjudicator and clinician throughout the state and nation conducting clinics and workshops at schools and festivals including the Dallas Music Educators Association Jazz Festival, Tarleton State University Jazz Festival, Southwestern Oklahoma State University Jazz Festival, Baltimore County Public Schools High School All Honors Jazz Concert, National Trumpet Competition Jazz Semi-Finals and the International Trumpet Guild Jazz Scholarships Competition.

 

As a versatile performer he has performed with Price/Wright Jazz Orchestra, Kitchen Sync Big Band, Rizpah Lowe Jazz Quartet, Alexandria’s Ragtime Band, Bourbon Street Stompers, Inner City All-Stars Brass Band, Dallas College Eastfield Campus Faculty Jazz Combo, Texas Star Brass Band, Las Colinas Symphony, Garland Symphony, Arlington Symphony, New Philharmonic Orchestra of Irving, Chamber Orchestra of Denton, Voices of Change, SYZYGY new music ensemble, Metropolitan Classical Ballet Orchestra, and was Co-Principal at the 2008 Missouri Symphony Summer Festival. He also has been performing with the Dallas Opera Orchestra since the 2005-2006 season.  

A few of the notable musicians Dr. Passley has shared the stage with include: Andrea Bocelli, Denyce Graves, Gladys and “Bubba” Knight, Louis Price (former lead singer for the Temptations), Heather Headley, “Bebe” Neuwirth, B. J. Thomas, Bowling for Soup, Rebirth Brass Band, Steve Lippia, Benjamin Wright, Winard Harper, Regina Carter, Bobby Sparks, Keith Anderson, Brad Leali, Tony Baker, Byron Stripling and Wynton Marsalis.

As a soloist, Dr. Passley has been a guest artist at numerous colleges and universities throughout the country including Missouri State University, Northeastern State University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Baptist University, Texas Wesleyan University, Texas A&M University at Commerce, University of Dallas, Texas Christian University and Baylor University.

 

In May of 2018, Dr. Passley was invited to tour with the Wading Home Opera Production to South Africa.  Venues that the performances took place included: Nelson Mandela University, Stellenbosch University and University of Pretoria. The purpose of the trip was to raise money in each of the cities (Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Pretoria/Johannesburg) for their children’s choruses.  

Dr. Oscar Passley is active in the International Trumpet Guild where he was recently elected to the Board of Directors and is currently Chair of the Jazz Improvisation Competition.   Dr. Passley also has served as an adjudicator for the National Trumpet Competition and ITG Competitions.

 

A native of Baltimore, Maryland Passley graduated from Morgan State University with a B.A. in music where he studied trumpet with Dr. Melvin Miles. He finished master degrees in trumpet performance (M.M.) and music education (M.M.E.), studying jazz trumpet with Mike Steinel and classical trumpet with John Holt at the University of North Texas. Dr. Passley holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in trumpet performance from UNT.