Role

:

Conductor  

Birth

:

July 2, 1940 in Chattanooga, TN

Death

:

January 5, 2022 in Brescia, Italy

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

Dale Clevenger is a renowned classical music artist who has made significant contributions to the world of music as a French horn player. He was born on May 16, 1940, in Wichita, Kansas, and grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a trumpet player, and his mother was a pianist. Clevenger started playing the piano at the age of five and later switched to the French horn when he was in high school. Clevenger attended the University of Illinois, where he studied with Philip Farkas, a renowned French horn player. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1962 and later earned a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University in 1963. During his time at Northwestern, Clevenger played in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's training orchestra, which was conducted by Fritz Reiner. In 1966, Clevenger joined the Kansas City Philharmonic as the principal horn player. He stayed with the orchestra for two years before joining the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in 1966 as the assistant principal horn player. He was promoted to the principal horn player position in 1968, a position he held until his retirement in 2013. Clevenger's tenure with the CSO was marked by numerous highlights and achievements. He played under the baton of some of the world's most renowned conductors, including Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim, and Pierre Boulez. He also performed in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Berlin Philharmonic. Clevenger's contributions to the world of music have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 1989, he was awarded the Theodore Thomas Award by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for his outstanding contributions to the orchestra. He was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Horn Society in 2000. Clevenger has also been active as a teacher and mentor to young musicians. He has taught at Northwestern University, DePaul University, and the Chicago College of Performing Arts. He has also given masterclasses and workshops around the world, sharing his knowledge and expertise with aspiring musicians. In addition to his work as a French horn player, Clevenger has also been active as a composer and arranger. He has written numerous pieces for the French horn, including a concerto for horn and orchestra, which was premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1992. Clevenger's retirement from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2013 marked the end of an era in classical music. His contributions to the world of music as a French horn player, teacher, and composer have been significant and have left a lasting impact on the world of classical music.

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