SALUTE TO PALE CLEVENGER
WHEREAS, After a remarkable 47 years as the iconic brass section leader of the legendary Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Dale Clevenger, a much-respected French horn player and outstanding musician, retires on June 30, 2013; and
WHEREAS, Appointed to the post by the late Jean Martinon in 1966 at the age of 26, Dale Clevenger served under three principal directors of the orchestra, along with enumerable guest conductors. Prior to his CSO years, he was a member of Leopold Stokowski's American Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony of the Air directed by Alfred Wallenstein. He was also the principal horn for the Kansas City Philharmonic; and
WHEREAS, Born into a musical family in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Dale Clevenger's father was the President of the Chattanooga Opera Association. At the age of eleven, he began playing the trumpet but eventually chose the French horn upon entering high school. In 1962, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Clevenger is the featured soloist on several CSO recordings, including works by Martin, Schumann, Britten, and Mozart. He has recorded the horn concertos by Joseph and Michael Haydn with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra of Budapest, as well as all of Mozart's horn concertos. He has also performed with colleagues from the CSO and the Berlin Philharmonic in Chicago and Berlin on the Grammy-winning CD of quintets for piano and winds by Mozart and Beethoven conducted by Daniel Barenboim. Composer John Williams wrote a horn concerto for him that he premiered in 2004; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his musical career, Clevenger has developed a versatile repertoire of chamber music, jazz, commercial recordings, and solos in various venues. With Barenboim and Itzhak Perlman, he recorded Brahms's Horn Trio for HD TV, laser disc, and Sony Classical CD. He performed on the Tribute to Duke Ellington CD with Barenboim and other members of the CSO as well as Strauss's First Horn Concerto. Additionally, he has given recitals and master classes in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Japan, China, Australia, Mexico, Canada, and Israel; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Michele Smith, Alderman of the 43rd Ward, has apprised this august body of this noteworthy musician's significant milestone; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED That we, the Mayor and members of the City of Chicago City Council, gathered together this 5th Day of June, 2013 AD, do hereby salute Dale Clevenger for his remarkable career and extend our very best wishes for success in all his future endeavors.
MICHELE SMITH Alderman - 43rd Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Dale Clevenger.