Dale Underwood - Among South Florida Artists

WHO'S WHO
AMONG SOUTH FLORIDA ARTISTS

Dale Underwood

Acclaimed by the Washington Post as "the Heifez of the alto saxophone," Dale Underwood is internationally recognized as one of the foremost classical saxophonists of our time. Mr. Underwood has toured extensively throughout the world as a featured soloist,performing in every state in the continental United States, Alaska as well as in England, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Sweden,
Italy, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Mexico,Canada ,Austria,Hungary and for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.

A frequent guest soloist with leading orchestras throughout the United States and abroad, Mr. Underwood has performed with the
Boston Pops Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, Australian Wind Orchestra, and the National Conservatory Orchestra
in Sao Paolo, Brazil, among others. In 1993, Mr. Underwood made his Carnegie Hall debut in a program featuring Claude T.
Smith's Fantasy and A Gershwin Fantasy (both written especially for Mr. Underwood)

In addition to being a sought after soloist, Mr. Underwood is also a noted recording artist. He has amassed a prolific discography
of classical and contemporary works by leading composers Paul Creston, Jay Chatterway, Robert Muczynski, and Maurice
Whitney. His vast repertoire includes all of the standard saxophone concerti, as well as over thirty original works written
especially for him by noted American composers such as Walter Hartley, Clare Grundman, Jay Chattaway, Alan Vizzutti, and
Ralph Martino.

A frequent clinician at universities, conservatories, and music festivals in the United States and Europe, Mr. Underwood is a
highly respected instructor of the saxophone. He currently holds professorships with University of Miami, the University of
Maryland at College Park, MD and George Mason University, in Fairfax, VA.

Born in Cortland, NY, in 1948, Mr. Underwood began his saxophone studies at the age of nine. He received his early music
training at Ithaca College in New York and further pursued studies at Texas Tech University. In 1967, Mr. Underwood enlisted
and was appointed saxophone soloist with the premier band of the United States Navy, a position he held for 29 years until his 30
year service retirement in 1997. During his years as soloist for the US Navy Band in Washington, DC, Mr. Underwood gained the
distinction of performing for every president from Lyndon B. Johnson until William J.Clinton. As the preeminent saxophone soloist
of all musical ensembles of the US Armed Forces, Mr. Underwood was presented the Meritorious Service Medal by the President
of the United States in 1997. The citation reads in part: "An extraordinary saxophonist ...Underwood distinguished himself as a
soloist on the National Concert Tours and in many prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. His exciting performances repeatedly drew standing ovations."

Inspired by his international performances, Dale organized the Navy Band's International Saxophone Symposium in 1978. He
received the Navy Achievement Medal for coordinating this event which is now held every year at George Mason University. Dale
is past President of the North American Saxophone Alliance. He is an honorary life member of Tri-M Music Honor Society,
Kappa Kappa Psi, Missouri Music Educators and was one of the original founders of the Saxophone Journal.

Category/Instrument:  Saxophone

City:  Miami

County:  Coral Gables

Email:  d.underwood@miami.edu

Website:  http://www.conn-selmer.com/en-us/artist-information/centerstage/artist-roster/dale-underwood/