BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Dave Camwell is a distinguished, versatile and dynamic performer. He has been a Yamaha Performing
Artist since 2004, and a Rico Artist since 2009. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Saxophone
and Jazz Studies at Simpson College, Indianola, IA. Camwell has received degrees from the University of
Calgary (B.Mus, dual degree in Jazz Studies and Education, in collaboration with Jacksonville State
University), the University of Northern Colorado (M.Mus, dual degree in Performance and Education), and
the University of Oregon (D.M.A in Performance with a secondary emphasis in Jazz Studies).
He has released two classical CDs on the Teal Creek label to critical acclaim - Aeterna (2008) and Bach-
Centric (2010). Aeterna includes works by John Anthony Lennon, Niccolò Paganini, J.S. Bach, Ron
Albrecht, Steven Galante, Nate Brown and Robert Schumann. Bach-Centric features compositions by J.S.
Bach arranged for saxophone, and features notable saxophonists James Romain, Nathan Nabb, James
Bunte, and Stephen Page. Both discs were funded by grants from the Iowa Arts Council.
Saxophone Journal (Jan/Feb, 2009) reviewed Aeterna and stated that, “Dave Camwell is a saxophonist of
the first order and demonstrates easily his technical mastery of the instrument and artistic interpretation of
repertoire. His tone is warm, rich, and supple with the ability to flex his muscles when needed...Aeterna is
ethereal and imaginative and Camwell’s performance on this CD is perhaps a performing hallmark for this
piece...Aeterna is an extremely inspiring CD of beautiful artistic music and Dave Camwell’s saxophone
artistry sets him apart from the crowd."
Furthermore, Aeterna was reviewed in the 2008 NASA Saxophone Symposium: “...the CD ends with a final
treat for the listener, an "encore" track of Paganini's Caprice No. 24, Op. 1 performed live. Camwell rises
above the challenging technical aspects of this work to present a dynamic live performance that recalls the
musical showmanship characteristic of Paganini.”
Camwell has performed at the jazz festivals of Montreux, Brienz, Calgary, Edmonton, and Victoria. He spent
three summers as a musician for Norwegian Cruise Lines, touring Hawaii, Alaska and the Caribbean. He
has performed with the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra and New York Central City Chorus, and with the
colleges and universities of Illinois, Cincinnati (CCM), North Dakota State, Concordia (MN), Jamestown
(ND), Graceland (IA), Northern Iowa and Manitoba. He performs regularly at the regional and national
conferences of the North American Saxophone Alliance and performed at both the 14th and 15th World
Saxophone Congresses in Slovenia (2006) and Thailand (2009). In May, 2009, Camwell's performance of
works by J.S. Bach was twice featured on American Public Media’s nationally broadcast radio program,
Performance Today.
Camwell has over twenty publications available through Dorn Publications and the University of Northern
Colorado Jazz Press. His transcriptions have been performed across Canada, the United States, Great
Britain and China. A notable performance of one of his transcriptions (Schumann’s Fantasiestücke) was
given by James Bunte and Dr. David Riley in Carnegie Hall in 2006. He also writes a regular column for
Saxophone Journal and has recorded two CD Master Classes for the publication - John Anthony Lennon’s
Aeterna (March/April 2007) and Mozart's Dissonance Quartet (January/February 2010). The Mozart
Dissonance project garnered Camwell Simpson College’s Distinguished Faculty Research Award in May,
2010.
Current projects include performing and recording with the Oasis Quartet (http://www.oasisquartet.com) with
James Romain, Nathan Nabb, and James Bunte.
Please visit Dr. Camwell's website at: http://www.davecamwell.com.
Read more...