معرفی
David Dees serves as Professor of Saxophone at Texas Tech University's School of Music, where he directs the Saxophone Studio and holds membership in the Texas Tech University Teaching Academy. He actively shapes the saxophone community as Region 4 Director of the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA).
His academic credentials include:
- Bachelor of Music from University of North Texas (studied under Debra Richtmeyer)
- Master of Music from Northwestern University (studied under Frederick Hemke)
Dees' artistic focus centers on expanding contemporary saxophone repertoire through premieres of works by Augusta Read Thomas, Teresa LeVelle, and John Mackey. His performance practice bridges classical tradition and modern composition, with special emphasis on concerto literature spanning Glazunov to living composers. As an educator, he cultivates chamber music excellence and technical mastery within his studio.
His distinguished awards include top prizes at the Ville d'Avray/Paris International Saxophone Competition (2010), North American Saxophone Alliance Competition, and Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, alongside Texas Tech University's Outstanding Faculty Award.
Dees mentors saxophonists who consistently achieve national recognition in MTNA competitions and Fischoff Chamber Music finals. Prior to academia, he performed with the United States Army Band (Pershing's Own), bringing professional orchestral experience to his pedagogy. His leadership extends to hosting NASA conferences and serving on competition juries for major international events.
As a recording artist with Innova and Blue Griffin labels, Dees documents significant repertoire including Teresa LeVelle's Shadowlands and Christian Lauba's Ars, contributing to the saxophone's evolving discography.
