Associate Principal/3rd Trumpet, New Mexico Philharmonic, 2nd Trumpet, Santa Fe Symphony, Trumpet soloist on CBS Mornings theme which airs Monday-Friday, 7am-9am. (For clarification: CBS Sunday Morning is still Wynton Marsalis, and Sam is so honored to be in the same fold, playing the storied “Abblasen” fanfare on the same network as his hero).
Conn-Selmer Bach Artist, Sam Oatts, has cemented his reputation as a versatile, sought-after trumpet player with extensive international credits across 35+ countries and 49 US States in classical, commercial, lead, jazz, chamber, rock, pop and world music.
Sam has served previous academic appointments at Kennesaw State University (Brass Area Chair), Grand Canyon University, University of Denver, as well as a doctoral assistantship at Arizona State University. He has given masterclasses at University of North Texas, University of Minnesota, Arizona State University, University of Denver, University of S. Illinois Edwardsville, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, University of New Mexico, Furman, University of Oklahoma, and many more.
As an orchestral musician, Sam has appeared with The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, The Phoenix Symphony, Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Boulder Philharmonic, and more. He was Principal Trumpet with the Connecticut Grand Opera from 2003-06 and section trumpet with the Verbier Festival Orchestra under James Levine and Valerie Gergiev in 2004. He is currently the tenured Associate Principal/3rd trumpet with the New Mexico Philharmonic, and 2nd trumpet with the Santa Fe Symphony.
As a lead Broadway trumpeter, most recent tours include lead trumpet with An American in Paris, featuring an all-Gershwin score, and the international company of West Side Story with full orchestra. Other Broadway/Tour highlights include performing with Billy Elliot, Chita Rivera, Chicago the Musical, Come Fly Away (Frank Sinatra musical), Fiddler on the Roof, and Annie.
Sam has appeared as a soloist with Kennesaw State University Wind Ensemble, The Denver Brass, Lamont School of Music Wind Ensemble, The Columbia/Barnard Chorus and Orchestra, and the Manhattan School of Music Baroque Aria Ensemble.
As a chamber musician, Sam has played alongside and with the Canadian Brass, Summit Brass, Phoenix Symphony Brass Quintet, Enchantment Brass, and held previous positions with the Denver Brass and the ASU faculty Brass Quintet.
In addition to his extensive classical, commercial, and freelance career, Sam moonlights as a songwriter/arranger/contractor/performer, and has worked with major label artists that include members of Coldplay, the Strokes, The Who, Darius Rucker, along with countless indie acts. The BBC praised his arrangements on a recent project as “wrapped in velvet strings, suave horns, and all around lush deportation…” Sam’s 2013 solo songwriting/recording project, Hudson Hank, was produced by Coldplay’s Guy Berryman to rave reviews, sold-out NYC performances, and can be found on all major streaming platforms.
Sam is a Conn-Selmer/Bach Performing Artist.
Sam Oatts 