Posey was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in Woodbridge, Virginia. He attended Louisiana State University, earning a Bachelor of Music degree, and the University of Michigan, earning a Master of Music degree.[1] While at Michigan, he was a saxophone student of Donald Sinta.[2]
Posey performs live with DJs in nightclubs[10] and has appeared on several dance music tracks including Perfect Lovers' "Pat on the Sax" remix of Whitney Weiss' Temperance on Chinotto Records [11] and Lovefingers' "Root of All Evil Dub" remix of Primal Scream'sInnocent Money on BMG.[12] They appear on the track Give Me Love on Miley Cyrus' album Something Beautiful. Their debut on ESP Institute was the track AMOK on the "ESP Institute XV" a compilation of highlights and unreleased rarities from the label's 15 years of existence released as a fundraiser for Los Angeles wildfire victims.[13] AMOK is the demo for a full-length solo album that will be released on the label in late 2025.[14]
Posey performed as soloist in John Adams' Saxophone Concerto with the Redlands Symphony conducted by Ransom Wilson in October 2022.[15] He has also appeared as a soloist in Germany and Russia.[1] His debut album they/beast, the first streamable album featuring solo tubax, was released by Avie Records in 2023.[16]
Edwin Outwater leading Pat Posey and the San Francisco Symphony recording Michael Tilson Thomas' Urban Legend for baritone saxophone and orchestra (2024)
Posey is a member of Le Train Bleu and a founding member of the Los Angeles Reed Quintet (LARQ).[28][29] He is a Conn-Selmer Performing Artist.[30]
Administrative career
Posey served as Director of Orchestral Activities and Planning at The Juilliard School from 2007 to 2012, after having held the positions of Assistant Orchestra Librarian, Personnel Manager, and Orchestra Manager in the years prior. He concurrently held administrative positions at the Stamford Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Lukes, Brevard Music Center, and the Aspen Music Festival and School, and in 2010-11 he was Director of Artistic Operations for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra project in Sydney, Australia.[27]
In September, 2012 he was appointed as Vice President of Artistic Planning and Educational Programs of the Music Academy of the West.[31] He was selected from a field of over 70 applicants following a four-month international search.[27] At the Music Academy he oversaw all artistic matters including the creation of a composer residency program that brought nearly 20 living composers to the summer festival over two years, and led the conception and implementation of partnerships with the New York Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra. He left the Music Academy in 2018.[32]
Posey is queer[34] and began crossdressing in 2019.[35] With longtime friend Colin Campbell they were the victim of a hate crime in Hollywood when a car passing by shot them with airsoft pellets and yelled "faggots" following the 2024 presidential election. [36][37] They face the transphobic backlash in the US with their art and their whole person and regularly take part in protests against fascism in the US.[38]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
