Paul Compton
Paul
Compton has been Assistant Professor of Trombone at Oklahoma State University
since 2003. He studied trombone at the University of North Texas with
Vern Kagarice and Tony Baker, at the University of Texas at Arlington
with Andrew M. Russell, at the Henry Mancini Institute with Bruce Paulson
and Andy Martin and at the Alessi Seminar with Joseph Alessi. Paul has
also performed in master classes for Christian Lindberg, Denis Wick,
Ben van Dijk, Ron Barron, Scott Hartman and John Fedchock. Prior
to his appointment at OSU, Paul taught at North Central Texas College
and the University of North Texas. He has enjoyed an extremely
versatile career, with extensive experience as a solo, symphonic, jazz
and chamber music performer.
Paul is devoted to promoting the trombone as a solo instrument. He has
premiered more than twenty new compositions for trombone, by composers James
Kazik, Wil Swindler, Joseph T. Spaniola, Stephen Smith, David Wilborn, Ian McDougall,
James Beckel, David Herring, Michael Schneider, Dave Rivello, Sy Brandon and
David Shipps. Paul has performed as soloist with the University of New
Mexico Wind Symphony, Camerata Chamber Winds, Oklahoma State University Wind
Ensemble, Oklahoma State University Symphony Orchestra, Signature Symphony Orchestra,
Myriad Brass Orchestra, Oklahoma State University Jazz Ensemble, Jacksonville
State University Jazz Ensemble, University of North Texas Trombone Ensemble,
Stillwater Community Band and the Wills Point High School Band. Paul was
a semifinalist in the prestigious Concert Artists Guild Solo Competition, and
he received an Outstanding Performance Award in the Down Beat Student Music Awards. He
has given recital performances at the University of Missouri, University of Saskatchewan,
Texas Tech University, Del Mar College, Central Methodist University and Oklahoma
State University. Paul received a Commission Assistance Grant from the
Co-op Press in 2004, which resulted in the premiere of Ballad and Dance Variations for
Solo Trombone and Wind Ensemble by Sy Brandon. Paul subsequently won First
Prize in the Co-op Press Recording Competition for his recording of Ballad
and Dance Variations, and his recording can be heard on the album Trombonarama.
Paul is a member of the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and he has performed
and recorded with several other orchestras, wind ensembles and choral ensembles. He
has held regular positions in the University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra,
Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, Irving Symphony Orchestra, San Angelo Symphony
Orchestra, University of North Texas Wind Ensemble, University of Texas at Arlington
Wind Ensemble and the Myriad Brass Orchestra, and he has performed with the Flower
Mound Chamber Orchestra, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Texas Wind Symphony, North
Central Texas Chorale Orchestra, Women’s Chorus of Dallas Orchestra, Tulsa
Opera Orchestra, Tulsa Oratorio Chorus Orchestra, Signature Symphony Orchestra,
Tulsa Ballet Orchestra and the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra. Through these
ensembles Paul has performed with artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Diane Reeves,
Herbie Hancock, Terrence Blanchard, Christian McBride, Sam Harris, Larry Gatlin,
John Williams, Tony Bennett, Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, Bob Brookmeyer
and Monica Mancini. He has also performed in such venues as the Hollywood
Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Kodak Theater, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Morton H. Meyerson
Symphony Center and Bass Hall.
Paul was lead trombonist of the well-known University of North Texas One O’clock
Lab Band, and he can be heard on four of the group’s albums. He also
performed with the ensemble at the Molde International Jazz Festival (Norway),
Pori International Jazz Festival (Finland), PASIC in Dallas, IAJE Conventions
in New York and New Orleans, the New York Brass Conference, the Texas Jazz Festival
in Corpus Christi, Texas Ballet Theater, Lone State Ballet and the North Texas
Jazz Festival in Addison. He played for such artists as Greg Bissonette,
Terry Gibbs, the Brecker Brothers, Jim McNeely, Bill Watrous, Byron Stripling,
Tim Hagens, Kenny Wheeler and Joe Lovano. Paul played every Monday night
for 5 years with the house Big Band at Sambuca Jazz Café Addison. He
was lead trombonist of the University of Texas at Arlington Jazz Orchestra, and
performed with the ensemble at the Montreux International Jazz Festival (Switzerland)
and the Texas Music Educators Convention. He also performed with the Cary
Richards Orchestra, Dreamaker Big Band, Eastside Jazz Orchestra, Tuxedo Junction,
Collection Jazz Orchestra, Shelley Carroll Big Band, Dallas Jazz Orchestra, In
Full Swing, Galen Jeter Orchestra and the Les Elgart Orchestra. Paul is
lead trombonist of the jazz trombone ensemble Slide Tradition, winner of the
International Trombone Association Kai Winding Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition
and the National Jazz Trombone Ensemble/Capitol Bones Competition. Slide
Tradition was an artist ensemble at the 2002 International Trombone Festival
in Denton, TX.
Paul has performed regularly as a chamber musician. In 1997 he began performing
with the Texas based Bluebonnet Brass, and has since performed several hundred
concerts with the ensemble. This includes guest performances with the San
Angelo, Temple and Georgetown Symphony Orchestras, as well as concerts across
the United States and Japan. Paul has also performed with the Infinity Brass
Quintet, Newcastle Brass Quintet, Classic Brass Quintet and the Bravo Brass Quintet. He
was a member of the Camerata Chamber Winds of Coppell, TX for two seasons, performing
some of the finest chamber music for winds. As a member of the Bravura
Trombone Octet, Paul twice won the Down Beat Magazine Student Music Awards Competition
for Classical Chamber Ensemble. Paul is a faculty member for the Western
Summer Chamber Music Institute held at Western State College of Gunnison, Colorado.
Paul is an artist for the Edwards Instrument Company of Elkhorn, Wisconsin and
Griego Mouthpieces.
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