Hailing from the Washington, D.C. area, saxophonist David Stambler has established himself as a dynamic and active performer throughout the United States. His concert activities include recitals and appearances as a symphonic soloist, as well as “on-call” engagements as saxophonist with many orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony, the Annapolis Symphony, the Bay Atlantic Symphony, the Richmond Symphony, the National Gallery Orchestra, and the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra. He has performed internationally including in Japan, China, Guatemala, the former Soviet Union, Bermuda, and a European tour with the Baltimore Symphony including Madrid, Barcelona, Parma, Torino, Ljubljan, and Vienna. Stambler’s recitals are distinguished by a typically fresh approach to programming, combining neo-romantic, contemporary and jazz works for saxophone.
He has performed at international consulates and embassies, including the embassies of France, Australia and New Zealand, the French Consulate and the National Arts Club in New York City, and chamber recitals at the Smithsonian Institute, Strathmore Hall and Kennedy Center in Washington, the Montpellier Series, the Maryland Historical Society, and the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Stambler has distinguished himself as a premiere artist for numerous new works for saxophone, including November by Elam Sprenkle with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Dos Movimientos by Guggennheim-winner Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez with the Bay Atlantic Symphony, Four Portraits by Jonathan Leshnoff, Suite for Saxophone by Mark Lanz Weiser, and compositions by John Harbison, Gunther Schuller, and Michael Colgrass. Stambler also takes an active hand in helping to increase the repertoire of his instrument. He recently commissioned Copland Award-winning composer James Grant to compose Concerto for Saxophone, and John Anthony Lennon to compose a new work for saxophone and chamber ensemble to be premiered in 2007.
An active recording artist, Stambler has collaborated with the Baltimore Symphony, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, and the Capitol Quartet, and can be heard playing clarinet and saxophone on dozens of nationally broadcast radio and television commercials. As tenor saxophonist and arranger with the Capitol Quartet, he performs frequently in recital venues and with symphony orchestras nationwide.
A veteran of nearly 3000 professional performances, Stambler is equally at home in the world of Jazz. He has performed at at variety of jazz festivals, and has performed with many of the top entertainers in music, including Rosemary Clooney, Natalie Cole, Smokey Robinson, Roberta Flack, Bobby McFerrin, Aaron Neville, Melissa Manchester, Louie Bellson, and more.
Stambler studied clarinet at the Oberlin Conservatory, receiving his Bachelor of Music degree in saxophone from The University of Michigan, where he was a student of Donald Sinta. He holds a Master of Music degree from the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Maryland. Stambler holds the post of Professor of Saxophone at Penn State University.
