Dr. James Umble
Professor of Saxophone
3033 Bliss Hall
(330)941-1828 (studio)
(330)941-1490 (fax)
jcumble@ysu.edu

Dr. James Umble is Professor of Saxophone at Youngstown State University where he has been awarded a Distinguished Professor Award in teaching. He is a nationally recognized teacher, clinician, soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. A recent concert at the Cleveland Museum of Art led Cleveland Plain Dealer critic Donald Rosenberg to write "...Umble must be one of the most elegant exponents of his instrument...he was virtuosic in every way...".

He has performed as a concerto soloist with the United States Navy Band in Washington D.C. , the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and at recent National Conferences of The North American Saxophone Alliance. He has recently joined the wind section of the Cleveland Orchestra, performing saxophone excerpts under conductors Franz Welser-Most, Pierre Boulez, JaJa Ling and Giancarlo Guerrero. During the Orchestra’s recent tour to Miami Florida the Miami Herald wrote that Umble’s playing was “…glorious...” and of his “…mellifluous tone…”. He served on the faculty of the Xi’an (China) Clarinet and Saxophone Conference and as well was a featured soloist at the State University of Potsdam (NY) First Annual Single Reed Conference. He has recently performed solo recitals at Western Michigan University, Penn State University and at George Mason University. He has recently presented master classes at The University of Miami (FL), The University of Oregon, The University of Southern Oregon, Illinois State University, New Mexico State University, The University of New Mexico, SUNY Potsdam (NY) and many other institutions throughout the country.
                 
His acclaimed reference book, “Jean-Marie Londeix, Master of the Modern Saxophone”, which describes the life and pedagogy of one of the world’s most beloved French saxophone artist/teachers, is a standard reference text in use around the world. His recording of works for saxophone “Dejeuner sur l’herbe” has been warmly received for more than ten years now and is available through online vendors. He can also be heard on compact disc performing the music of Florent Schmitt (AUR), Michael Colgrass (NAXOS) and Evan Chambers (Cambria). His recording of Marilyn Shrude’s Concerto with the YSU Wind Ensemble under the direction of Stephen Gage is on that groups CARNIVAL recording.

He frequently appears in concert with members of the Cleveland Orchestra in the chamber music formation known as “The Cleveland Duo and James Umble”. This trio is regularly heard in chamber music performances in concert halls, universities and synagogues throughout the United States. New York Concert Reviews wrote that their Mannes College performance was "...sensuous...an outstanding performance..."

He holds a First Prize in Saxophone Performance from the National Conservatory of Bordeaux, France, where he studied with Jean-Marie Londeix, a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan where he studied with Donald Sinta. He has also holds a Masters degree in performance from Bowling Green State University where he studied with John Sampen and a BME degree from Susquehanna where he studied with Donald W. Beckie.

James Umble is regularly heard as a guest performer on programs at The Cleveland Institute of Music. Appearances for 2007-2008 included a solo concerto with The University of South Carolina Wind Ensemble during the proceedings of the North American Saxophone Alliance's Biennial Conference and tours of Oregon and North Dakota with his chamber trio. Recent commissions and premieres have included Michal Rataj's "...of hidden voice..." for alto saxophone and piano and Till Meyn's PRECIPICE for alto saxophone and Wind Ensemble, premiered in April of 2007 with the Youngstown State University Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Stephen Gage.