Kirk E. Udvardi

1964 - 

Kirk Udvardi is a freelance saxophone soloist and woodwind doubler. He has taught as an adjunct faculty member at La Sierra University, San Bernardino Valley College, and Redlands University. He presently is working with Giovanni Santos in the Loma Linda Academy band program by assisting with the fifth and sixth grade bands, giving private saxophone and clarinet lessons, and coaching saxophone and clarinet quartets.

Udvardi is an active performer. He was highly praised by Saxophone Journal for his performance at the 1990 New Sounds Music Festival and was a frequent performer with The Barney Child's New Music Ensemble. He can be heard on Rastascan Records in performance with Dave Tohir and the Anything Goes Orchestra. He has made numerous appearances as a soloist with orchestras and wind ensembles in both California and Indiana. His book, The Complete Guide for the Musical Saxophonist, is published by Saxophobia Productions.

Udvardi is originally from Indiana, where he earned a bachelor's degree in saxophone and music education at Indiana University, South Bend. He subsequently completed master’s degrees in saxophone and woodwind doubling at the University of Redlands. He has studied with Phillip Rehfeldt, Matthew Levy, and Charles Atkins.

He is an avid promoter of contemporary music and has premiered works by Reginald Bain, Harold Budd, Barney Childs, Jim Fox, Christopher Hobbs, Gary Smart, Angie Jelliffe, Scott Vance, and others.

In 1988 he was recipient of lUSB's Excellence in Music Award and at UR received the Performance Award in 1992 and was elected to membership in Pi Kappa Lambda. Udvardi previously won the 1986 IUSB concerto competition, was a finalist in the National Association of Composers Young Performers' Competition, and a semi-finalist at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition with the St. Alfonzo Saxophone Quartet.

ds/2013

Sources: Printed program notes, unknown source, 2004; Biography at the Loma Linda Academy Bands website (2013); Program notes, Faculty Recital Series: Biography Brass Bash printed program, 2013, La Sierra University, 12 January 2013; other online sources.