After a wonderful year in the Atlanta area, Caity and I realized, having lived in Colorado and Arizona for over a decade, the Southwest is our true home and we moved to Albuquerque! I will miss my wonderful colleagues and students and hope to visit Atlanta often.
Some recent highlights:
- Opening the Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s season with Copland’s 3rd Symphony and getting to play with Scott Moore and his badass section.
- I had the wonderful opportunity to guest Principal with the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra and hang with some great friends and colleagues on the island.
- Playing the Messiah with the Santa Fe Symphony and finally getting to play “The Trumpet Shall Sound” with an amazing orchestra, choir, soloists, and audience rather than an out of tune organ on a brutal chop busting Christmas service!
- I have joined both the executive board as a musicians representative and the orchestra committee of the New Mexico Philharmonic and am truly excited to express my commitment to our wonderful organization through positivity and a growth mindset. I was also invited to join the executive board of the New Mexico High School Theater Awards and am excited to contribute and encourage the artistic endeavors of youth around the state.
- Joining the Santa Fe Symphony as 2nd trumpet and getting to play principal on my first concert backing Rufus Wainwright!
- If you’re in the New Mexico area, please visit the New Mexico Philharmonic and Santa Fe Symphony websites for upcoming concerts!
Please enjoy this tune by my dear old friend, Soren Song and Coheed and Cambria/ LS Dunes guitarist and Nyack hometown hero, Travis Stever. I contributed the horn arrangements and performance. This also forced me to buy a robe, and I’m grateful I did because I now am living in total comfort!
Lots of love and Happy Holidays
Sam Oatts 