Dr. Audrey Cupples is an acclaimed saxophonist, educator, and arranger whose career reflects artistry at the highest levels of performance, teaching, and collaboration. From 1988 until her retirement in 2014, Audrey made history as the first and only woman saxophonist in “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. In her 26-year tenure, she performed at presidential and national events of great prominence and was a featured soloist on soprano and alto saxophones.
She has entertained audiences at some of the world’s most prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall and Boston’s Symphony Hall, and has toured internationally, bringing her talent to concertgoers in the Soviet Union, Switzerland, and England, culminating in a performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
An accomplished ensemble musician, Dr. Cupples has performed with the National Gallery Orchestra, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Washington Concert Opera, and the East Coast Saxophone Quartet. She currently plays soprano saxophone in Les Quatres Vents, a saxophone quartet specializing in French repertoire.
Her artistic collaborations further reflect the breadth of her career. Audrey has shared the stage with legendary artists including Marvin Hamlisch, Aretha Franklin, Benny Carter, Kathleen Battle, Wynton Marsalis, Leonard Slatkin, John Williams, and Gunther Schuller, and has performed for dignitaries ranging from U.S. presidents to Nelson Mandela, Yitzhak Rabin, Pope Benedict XVI, and Boris Yeltsin.
As a Yamaha Artist, Dr. Audrey is passionate about mentoring the next generation, bringing her Marine Band experience into clinics and masterclasses at top music schools nationwide including the Eastman School of Music, Northwestern University, and the Frost School of Music, and at major conventions such as the Midwest Clinic, the All-Eastern Conference, and the Navy Band Saxophone Symposium. Her saxophone ensemble arrangements have frequently been performed by the Inter-Service Saxophone Ensemble, including works commissioned by the Marine Band to honor the bicentennial of Adolphe Sax. She also teaches at performing arts schools in the Washington, D.C. area and serves as the saxophone instructor at Band Camp for Adult Musicians, mentoring and encouraging students of all ages.
Dr. Audrey has contributed to the Yamaha Educator Series, wrote an article in Phi Kappa Phi Forum about her experience performing for various U.S. Presidents, and was featured on the front cover of The Saxophone Journal in a comprehensive interview.
Her solo album, Sunshine and Tears, received glowing reviews. Dale Underwood remarked, “With her CD, Sunshine and Tears, Audrey Cupples has shown stunning musicianship and belongs in the league of top saxophone performers.” Al Gallodoro added, “The distinction of Audrey Cupples being the first female [saxophone] soloist for the US Marine Band may pale by comparison to having the distinction of being such a fine artist.” Their words underscore not only her technical mastery—highlighted by her beautiful tone, impeccable intonation, and stylistic versatility—but also the depth and sincerity of her musical insight.
Dr. Cupples performs on Yamaha Saxophones exclusively.