John Dee

Bill A. Nugent
Endowed Professor of Performance Studies (Oboe)

University of Illinois; BA (with honors) Northeastern Illinois University; Florida International University. (Student of Robert Mayer, Gladys Elliot, and Ray Still.)

John J. Dee is Bill A. Nugent Endowed Professor of Performance Studies and Professor of Oboe. He was Principal Oboe of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and the Florida Grand Opera Orchestra from 1981 to 2004 and Professor of Oboe Studies at the Harid Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, Florida from its inception in 1992 through 2004. Mr. Dee was also Professor of Oboe at the University of Miami from 1986-1998, and Principal Oboe of the Florida Orchestra in Tampa, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, and Civic Orchestra of Chicago. As Principal Oboe of Florida’s largest arts organization the Florida Philharmonic, Mr. Dee was featured in weekly national radio broadcasts on over 140 radio stations. His solo performances of the Strauss and Mozart Concertos with the Florida Philharmonic have been met with critical acclaim. The Miami Herald wrote, ”His shading and inflection were worthy of major recording artists who trot the globe as oboe soloists”.

His third solo CD recording, “Under a Near Sky,” was released internationally by Klavier Records through Tower Records and towerrecords.com. This CD features the Mozart and Krommer Oboe Quartets, the Loeffler Trio Rhapsodie, a world premier written for Mr. Dee for guitar, oboe and string quartet, and a suite of English folk songs for English horn and strings. The International Double Reed Journal CD critic wrote,” I was delighted to encounter Robert Bloom's recording (Loeffler), Robert Sprenkle’s, and later John Mack’s version, but even happier to recommend John Dee’s interpretation. John Dee has that not-too-bright, not-too-dark, just right, liquid, melting tone that becomes a malleable vehicle for discourse, while retaining its own timbral beauty”.

Quite a few pieces of music have been specifically written for John Dee to perform. He has recorded on the Klavier, Altarus, Spectrum, CDS, Harmonia Mundi, CBS Masterworks and Philips record labels. Mr. Dee has performed and recorded with such conductors as Carlo Maria Guilini, James Levine, Claudio Abbado, and Sir Georg Solti while playing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and as Principal Oboe of the Ravinia Festival Orchestra.

He has performed and taught at the Sewanee Music Festival in Tennessee, the Highlands Chamber Music Festival in North Carolina and the Monadnock Music Festival in New Hampshire. He has performed and recorded with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Hong Kong Philharmonic and has traveled to Mexico with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In addition to performing with Lucianno Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Jose Carreras individually in various opera productions, Mr. Dee was called to perform with Jose Carreras and the National Symphony in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In Italy, he has performed as guest soloist with the I Solisti Aquilani String Orchestra, and in Japan he assisted the Yamaha Corporation in the development of their professional model oboe. Mr. Dee was featured as guest soloist for the internationally syndicated television show, “The Joy of Music,” with organist and host Diane Bish. His performances were recorded in Vancouver and Victoria B.C., throughout Alaska, and in California at Saint Mary’s Cathedral and the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. The International Double Reed Society hosts over 5000 oboe and bassoon performers and educators from all over the world and invites Mr. Dee to perform at their annual conferences. He has received the Outstanding Teacher Award from the National Endowment for the Arts numerous times and adjudicates many national and international music competitions. He is a frequent guest of National Public Radios, Performance Today, and Adelphia Television. He was President of Chamber Music Management for 18 years; Director of Music Conservatory Concerto Competions for 12 years and often serves as Master of Ceremonies for various musical events.

Professor Dee’s oboe students occupy Principal Oboe positions with such orchestras as the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Bangkok Philharmonic, Vera Cruz Symphony (Mexico), Seattle Symphony, Eugene Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony Orchestra.

I realize that all students have different personalities and strengths that become their unique signature of sound and musicality. It is my privilege to help them perfect or improve their unique talents and potential and I do not teach students to play like me or imitate my particular sound. I believe in education and high standards in technique, musicality and the reed making skills that are essential in preparing students to be competitive in auditioning for major positions. I would like them to become skilled artists who are confident, with their ability to express themselves freely.