Dr. Oscar Diaz, Jr. is the Professor of Trombone at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He holds dual Bachelors Degrees in Trombone Performance and Music Education from Texas A&M University at Kingsville, a Masters Degree in Trombone Performance from The University of Northern Colorado and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Trombone Performance at the University of Texas at Austin. His principal teachers include Dr. Nathaniel Brickens, Dr. Nathaniel Wickham, Dr. Paul Hageman, Ed Avila, Wanda Avila, Ron Welborn, and Paul Larson
Dr. Diaz has performed with the Fort Collins, Longmont, and Cheyenne Symphonies of Colorado, and Wyoming. He was a freelance trombonist in the northern Colorado area performing with numerous jazz bands and brass quintets. He has recorded with The Dave Camwell Group, the University of Northern Colorado Lab Band I, JazzBonez and The University of Texas Trombone Choir (winners of the Emory Remington Competition in 2007). Dr. Diaz is an active soloist and clinician. He has been a featured guest artist at the International Trombone
Dr. Diaz has shared the stage with trombone greats such as Bill Reichenbach, Conrad Herwig, Slide Hampton, and The Trombones de Costa Rica to name a few. He has performed in numerous master classes with artists such as Henry Charles Smith, Ralph Sauer, the Canadian Brass, and The Trombones de Costa Rica.
Dr. Diaz is currently Principal Trombonist in the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, Second Trombonist in the Victoria Symphony, Bass Trombonist in the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra and freelances in the South Texas area. He is a member of the Jazz Trombone Ensemble “Jazzbonez”, winners of the 2007 Kai Winding Jazz Trombone Competition and the 2007 National Jazz Trombone Ensemble/Capitol Bones Competition. Also as a founding member of the Minor Fourth Trombone Quartet, he tours every year around the state and nation. Most recently the M4TQ performed with the United States’ “Pershing’s Own” Army band at the American Trombone Festival in Washington D.C.
The Texas A&M University-Kingsville Trombone Choir under Dr. Diaz’s baton has been awarded an honorable mention award from the International Trombone Festival’s Emory Remington Trombone Choir competition. Due to the continued excellence of the studio, the choir was invited to perform at the International Trombone Festival in Valencia, Spain in 2015. Over the years, the studio has performed at the Eastern Trombone Workshop now American Trombone Workshop in 2010 and in 2014, the Texas State Symposium in 2013, various high schools, and numerous high profile university functions personally invited by the president of our university. Over the years, members of the TAMUK Trombone studio have been placed in national and international solo competitions as well as being accepted to many outstanding institutions throughout the nation post-graduation.
Oscar Diaz is an artist/clinician for Michael Rath Instruments.
Contact Information
School of Music
MUEB 218
MSC 174 Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, Texas 78363-8202
voice: 361-593-2817
email: oscar.diaz@tamuk.edu
Personal Website: http://www.tamuk.edu/music/