It was a natural, passionate fit – one that gripped the heart and pierced the soul.
George “Jerry” Oram and the trumpet.
For 54 years, Oram and his brass companion have been making beautiful music, his versatile tone transcending genres – from classical to jazz, rock ‘n’ roll to big band – all to the exquisite pleasure of generations drawn to the trumpet’s gentle and blaring sound.
“When you fall in love with what you do, you just do it,” said Oram, a charming and interesting man who at 62 continues to move audiences with his music. “When you’re good at something, you just stick with it. I just happen to have a knack for it.”
One of Seattle’s longtime and most respected trumpet players also is one of its most flexible. Oram can play a wide range of music anywhere, any time.
“Given the circumstances of my career, it works,” he said. “I wouldn’t change a day. I’ve had a good time.
“The best part of my day is when I pack my horn and to go to work.”
Oram will take center stage this weekend, joining his friends at the Auburn Symphony Orchestra for “Sound the Trumpets,” the organization’s season-opening concert at the Auburn Performing Arts Center. He will appear as the featured soloist in a boisterous concerto by Armenian composer Alexander Arutiunian.
For Oram, the concerto is an accessible, standard piece – a bombastic yet gentle work that is not usually performed in front of audiences. But Oram is looking forward to pulling off the 20-minute concerto.
“It’s a good piece,” said Oram, who has taught the composition to his students for 30 years. “The piece shows off the trumpet, and it is fun to play.”
For Oram – the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s and ASO’s principal trumpet since the orchestra was founded in 1997 – the chance to solo is indeed an honor. He appreciates the fact that Stewart Kershaw, ASO’s renowned music director and conductor, gives his musicians the chance to shine.
“Stewart provides the structure, but he lets us play in a more individual manner,” Oram said. “He lets us play the music, and I love that.”
Oram’s love affair with music began early. When he was 8, he found his father’s brassy Vega in the basement and began to play. He soon begged for lessons.
Those lessons laid the foundation of a long, rewarding career.
Oram, a University of Washington graduate, was a recipient of the Rockefeller and Brechemin Foundation scholarships.
His first tour after college was with a circus band. It eventually would lead to bigger opportunities.
Oram has played for more than 65 productions at The 5th Avenue Theatre, beginning with the venue’s very first, “Annie”. He also has been a frequent performer elsewhere, having toured the country and Europe.
Oram has performed with the Seattle Symphony, the Seattle Opera and the Northwest Chamber Orchestra. He recorded movie and music scores, including “Die Hard”, “Scary Movie”, “The Score” and “House on Haunted Hill”. He has toured or performed with Johnny Mathis, Sammy Davis Jr., Lou Rawls, Lena Horne and others.
As a leading player in the Northwest, Oram works with the best musicians in the Seattle area and performs for private parties and corporate events.
As a trumpet instructor, he taught at Western Washington University, Pacific Lutheran University, Breckenridge Music Institute and now offers lessons in his North Seattle studio.
Oram plans to continue performing for as long as he can. He is still young at heart.
“I feel like I’m playing as well or better than ever,” said Oram, a self-described jazz musician who enjoys classical numbers. “Music is sort of like a drug: Once you do it, you can’t stop.”
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Concert time
• Event:
• Performances: 7:30 p.m., Saturday; 2:30 p.m., Sunday
• Venue: Auburn Performing Arts Center, 700 E. Main St.
• Program: Jerry Oram, featured soloist, performs a concerto by Armenian composer Alexander Arutiunian. Dvorak’s tuneful Symphony No. 8 concludes the program, also with a blaze of trumpets. Three high school musicians will join the lineup.
• Tickets: Adults $25; seniors, 55 and older, $20. Call 253-887-7777 or visit www.auburnsymphony.org to order single-concert and season tickets.
