About Dr. Diaz

Dr. Oscar Diaz, Jr. is the Professor of Trombone at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He holds dual Bachelor Degrees in Trombone Performance and Music Education from Texas A&M University at Kingsville, a Master’s 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 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 and faculty member at the International Trombone Festival, and the American Trombone Workshop. He has given countless solo recitals, concerto performances, master classes and lectures around the United States. 

Due to the continued excellence of the Dr. Diaz’s trombone studio, the TAMUK Trombone Choir was invited to perform at the International Trombone Festival in Valencia, Spain in 2015 and in 2019 at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Over the years, the studio has performed at American Trombone Workshop in 2010 and in 2014, and numerous high-profile university functions personally invited by the president of our university. The choir was invited to attend the Big 12 Trombone Conference in Lubbock, TX and perform the opening concert for Joseph Alessi, principal trombonist of the New York Philharmonic.The TAMUK Trombone Choir has been recognized as one of the top trombone ensembles in the world by The International Trombone Association numerous times and wasawarded honorable mention from the prestigious Emory Remington Trombone Choir competition. The South Texas Trombone Sound (STTS) is an octet comprised of the best trombonists from the award-winning Texas A&M University-Kingsville Choir and received a second prize award from the ENKOR International Music Competition.

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 was 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. The M4TQ performed with the United States’s “Pershing’s Own” Army band at the American Trombone Festival in Washington D.C as a featured soloist. 

Over the years, members of the TAMUK Trombone studio have been placed or won in national and international solo competitions as well as being accepted to many outstanding institutions throughout the nation post-graduation. Other graduates have 100% job placement rate teaching in the public schools in the state of Texas.

Oscar Diaz is an artist/clinician for Michael Rath Instruments.