Saxophone majors got a chance to get a lesson from professional saxophone player Dale Underwood on Friday, March 25. Underwood is recognized internationally as one of the foremost classical saxophonists of our time. He has played in every state in the continental U.S., as well as in Alaska, England, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Italy, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, Canada, Austria and Hungary. He has also played for every president from Lyndon B. Johnson to William Clinton. He established himself in 1967 as a saxophone soloist with the premier band of the U.S. Navy and held the position for 30 years.Underwood is currently a lecturer in the department of instrumental performance at the University of Miami.

Dr. Richard A. Schwartz, director of saxophone, along with Dr. Paula Van Goes, a professor of music at Nicholls State University, were the ones who had the idea of trying to get the saxophonist to visit the area. After playing a recital at Nicholls, Underwood was able to come to Southeastern to hear the saxophone music majors play and to critique them.

“A lot of people think the famous instrumentalists, you can’t get in touch with them,” said music major and participant in the class, David Gambino. “But it’s actually pretty easy.”

Gambino listed the artists’ Web sites and Facebook as tools to contact them.

The students had to raise $800 in order to get Underwood to put on the class. They were finally able to raise the money after the SGA awarded them a grant. The students themselves paid $200 while Schwartz paid another $200 from his budget, and the SGA matched what they raised.

Many saxophone students also attended the recital put on by Underwood at Nicholls.

“I couldn’t even put it in words,” said alto saxophone player Zakk Garner. “It was inspiring. Humbling would be a good word for it.”

Garner had personally been listening to Underwood for months, and played “Fantasia” for the artist.

The Southeastern Saxophone Studio is currently comprised of 11 saxophone players, and 10 of them performed for Underwood. Schwartz explained that because the students in this organization were the ones who paid for the lesson out of their own pockets, he made the class available exclusively for them, giving them “first dibs.” Schwartz also commended the students for all their hard work.

Underwood commented on his reasons for coming to universities and teaching in general, saying that he enjoys “giving something back.”

“If you don’t, it dies,” said Underwood, and commented that he used to be in the same place that the students are. “Now it’s my turn to give it back.”

Underwood also complimented the performances.

“The students are excellent,” he said. “The quality is very high, very high.”