Biography
Dr. David Uber is a prominent American composer whose works for brass, woodwind and percussion are played extensively throughout the world. His colorful career in music ranges from award-winning composer to world class trombonist, college professor to band director. Prominent artists, corporations and universities have commissioned works by Uber.
Born in Princeton, Illinois, he has lived in Wyoming, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Vermont. After his graduation from Carthage College and receiving a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Uber served four years in the United States Navy Band and then continued his studies at Columbia University where he obtained his Master of Arts and Doctor of Education degrees.
Dr. Uber was professor of music at the College of New Jersey (formerly known as Trenton State College) for thirty-three years and was recently awarded the title of Emeritus Professor of Music by that institution. In May 1999, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music by Carthage College. He has been a member of the faculty at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey and the National Music Camp, Interlochen, Michigan where he was the Director of Ensemble Music. He also served as director of the Princeton University Symphonic Band for ten years. His leadership of this organization brought world-wide recognition to them. Many new works by American composers were premiered and tours with that organization brought international reputation in England, California and Washington, D.C.
As a performing artist, Dr. Uber played first chair trombone with the New York City Ballet Orchestra at Lincoln Center, the New York City Opera Orchestra and the NBC Symphony Orchestra (later known as the Symphony of the Air). For many years he was solo trombonist with the NBC Television Opera, the Columbia Recording Symphony, the New York Brass Quintet and the Contemporary Brass Quintet. His artistry may be heard on countless record albums under such eminent conductors as Igor Stravinsky, Leopold Stokowski, Sir Thomas Beecham, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Morton Gould, Arthur Fiedler, Robert Irving, Fritz Reiner, Robert Russell Bennett, Arthur Weisberg, Bruno Walter and Igor Markevich.
Dr. Uber has won competitions such as the Fourth Clarinet Choir Competition Contest sponsored by the University of Maryland and Kendor Music, Inc. His award-winning work, Musicale, was published by Kendor. Umber's composition Odyssey for Symphonic Band was a prize winner at Symposium III held at Radford College in Virginia. He has received the prestigious ASCAP Composers Award annually since 1959 and twice received a Merit Award from The College of New Jersey. He won the 1990 T.U.B.A. Composition Contest with his book 22 Etudes for Euphonium.
His Processional for World Peace, commissioned by the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, received its world premiere in 1992. He has received commissions for original large scale compositions from Carthage College, the Johnson Wax Company, Dakota State College, Augustana College, Princeton University, The College of New Jersey, the Hillsborough High School band (NJ), The Fairfax City Band (VA) and The Instrumentalist. His new large scale work for brass and percussion choir, commissioned by the Salem County Brass Society, Commemoration Overture, received its world premiere in Carneys Point, New Jersey on April 30, 2000.
Solo works have been commissioned by such famous artists as Harvey Phillips, Don Butterfield, Frank Meredith, John Swallow, Robert Nagel, Dr. Harold Krueger, Wayne Andre, Gerard Schwarz and Lucas Spiros.
Uber has appeared as adjudicator at Dartmouth College and Castleton State College and as a lecturer-clinician with Robert King Music Sales.
To date, he has published more than four hundred works with nineteen major publishers. His current catalog lists 421 compositions of his numerous publications for brass instruments, 209 are listed in the Spaeth/Schmid catalog and 22 listings are in the Tuba-Euphonium Press Journal.
He has again received the 20th Century award for achievement from the International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England. Dr. David Uber is among those honored in the new book, "Outstanding People of the 20th Century".
Contact Information
283 Mountain View Road
Wallingford, VT 05773-9321
Annual Updates
2007
David Uber received his 46th consecutive ASCAP Award for 2005-2006, for international performances of his music. Recent commissions include one from Jonathan Warburton of England, for a bass trombone and piano work, The Traveling Trombone, which was performed in Australia and England during the Fall 2006 and is scheduled for further performances in various parts of the world. The composer also received a commission from Kendor Music Company for a collection of tuba solo arrangements. Reviews of Uber’s works have been published in The Instrumentalist, February 2006, page 58, volume 60, no. 7; and reviews of the works Remembering Vermont and Three Spirituals for 3 Trombones may be found in the April 2006 issue of The International Trombone Association Journal.
Premieres
An arrangement of Shall We Gather at the River? received its premiere performance on March 19, 2006, from the Staten Island Chamber Players, conducted by Giorgianna Di Mauro. The Myrtle Beach Band, under the direction of Lawrence Beadle, introduced City of Flags, for brass and percussion choir, during Fall 2006.
Performances
Evensong and Golden Leaves, both for solo trombone and piano, were heard in performances by trombonist Russ Sanchez on March 31, 2006. Suite Picaresque for flute choir, received two performances from the Flutissimo Flute Choir, led by Janice Spooner, Bedform, TX. Concert Fanfare for low brass was heard at the University of the Philippines, in a performance conducted by Benedicto Perst, while Exhibitions for euphonium ensemble, was performed at the Church of Glory, Gilroy, CA.
Publications
Concerto for Trombone, dedicated to Victor Sumerkin of Russia; Legend of Danby Mountain, trombone and piano; 3 Canzones, flute and horn; Theatre Piece, trombone and piano; Bugle Call Parade, large brass choir; Concert Sketches, Eb alto saxophone and piano; all by Wehr’s Music House, FL. Ceremonial and Commencement Classics (16 arrangements) for brass quartet, brass quintet, brass trio, woodwind quintet; Favorite Melodies for 3 trombones or 3 horns in F; To a Wild Rose (arr. MacDowell) for tuba and piano; Spirituals for trombone trio; all by Almitra Music and Kendor Publications. Wine, Women and Euphoniums; Tuba-Euphonium Press.
Recordings
Ten Symphonic Trios, Verbatim CD-R Corporation Ltd. Australia, (USA Charlotte, NC). Suite Picaresque for flute choir, Flutissimo Flute Choir, Janice Spooner, conductor, Silverspoons Studio, Hunt, TX. The Traveling Trombone, solo with piano accompaniment, Jonathan Warburton, soloist, June 2006, England.
2006
David Uber has been nominated to Strathmore’s Who’s Who in 2005 and also received an ASCAP Standard Works Award for the 45th consecutive year. Thou Holiest of Rivers a work for solo horn and piano was commissioned by Jeffrey Powers of Baylor University, Waco, TX. Professor Powers subsequently performed the work multiple times at Baylor, the Mesto Works Festival, the Alleluia Conference, and the Texas Brass Camp. In the past year, several of Uber’s recent brass compositions have been reviewed by leading publications, including The Instrumentalist (Beginning Trios for Trumpets), International Trumpet Guild Journal in April 2005 (Skylines for bass trombone and brass choir), and ITEA [International Tuba Euphonium Association] Journal (Puppetry and Ode to Joy, both for brass choir, and Me and My Tuba for solo tuba and piano).
Premieres
Thou Holiest of Rivers for solo horn and piano was introduced by Jeffrey Powers, April 2005, Baylor University,
Waco, TX.
Performances
Haunted Castles for symphonic band was performed by the City of Fairfax (VA) Band. Festive Fanfare #2 for four trumpets was presented in a March 17, 2005, performance conducted by David Rasmussen, Wahpeton, ND. The Staten Island Chamber Music Players Brass Choir performed Shall We Gather at the River?, while a Fanfare for the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) was heard in performance at Southeastern Louisiana University. Philip C. Black conducted Galop for Low Brass Choir at Wichita State University.
Publications
Remembering Vermont, large low brass ensemble; Firelight, brass quartet; both by Wehr’s Music House. Concert Fanfare, for brass choir; 10 Favorite Melodies for 3 Horns; 10 Favorite Melodies for 3 Trombones; all by Kendor Music. Spirituals, trombone trio; Almitra.
Recordings
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming“The Phantom Carolers,” “Webster’s Unabridged,” “Concert Fanfare” for large brass choir; Nobuhiro Noguchi, Osaka, Japan; CD.