Dr. David Cyzak (*see-zak) is the Oboe Professor at the University of Iowa. Previously, he served as the Assistant Professor of Oboe and Music Industry at Middle Tennessee State University and on the faculties of Bradley University, the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Illinois College, Illinois Central College, and the University of Illinois Springfield.
He is the Principal Oboist with the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra. His Orchestral positions have also included serving as Acting Principal Oboe with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Second Oboe with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Second Oboe with Sinfonia da Camera, and Solo English Horn/ Second Oboe with the Heartland Festival Orchestra. As an active orchestral player, Dr. Cyzak has performed with such groups as the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Des Moines Symphony, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony, Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra, Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, and the Peoria Bach Festival Orchestra. His playing can be heard on the Naxos and Nimbus Records music labels. He was an Executive Board Member and Director of Symphonic Services for the American Federation of Musicians Local 301. Elected to the AFM Local 301 Peoria Symphony Orchestra Players Committee, he served on the 2017/2018 contract negotiation committee, which successfully negotiated a three-year contract. His orchestral, concerto, and recital performances have taken him across the country from Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Concert Hall to the intimate setting of Mark Twain’s drawing room in Hartford, Connecticut. Master class and recital appearances include visits to the University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Memphis, Arkansas State University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, The University of Mississippi, DePaul University, Ball State University, Illinois State University, and Penn State University. Always investigating and sharing the tradition of classical music, his activities have focused on working with living composers to perform and premiere their works while seeking to illuminate classical music’s broad spectrum of expressive possibilities for any audience. Originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin, Dr. Cyzak received his Doctorate from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying with John Dee. His doctoral research explores the advanced vocal and instrumental techniques of Vinko Globokar's Oboe/ English Horn works. He received a Master of Music Degree and Artist Diploma from The Hartt School under the tutelage of Humbert Lucarelli and a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, where he studied with James Caldwell, Robert Walters, and Alex Klein. Studies in High School were with Stephen Colburn. |