Dr. Underwood is an educator and professional trumpet performer with an active career spanning orchestral, chamber, brass band, and crossover performance. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, where he studied with Mark Clodfelter, as well as degrees from the Royal Northern College of Music, where he studied with John Miller and Rhys Owens; the University of North Carolina School of the Arts; and Radford University, where he studied with Mark Camphouse. His international studies also include study with Bo Nilsson at the Malmö Academy of Music and masterclasses with renowned trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger. Underwood has also worked with renowned artists such as Reinhold Friedrich, Ole Edvard Antonsen, Pierre Dutot and Kristian Steenstrup.

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Currently an Adjunct in Music at Rowan University, Dr. Underwood previously served as Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Delaware and has also taught at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and East Tennessee State University. He brings extensive experience in higher education, performance, curriculum development, and student mentorship.

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As an orchestral musician, Dr. Underwood currently serves as 2nd Trumpet/Associate Principal of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, where he has been a member since 2014. His orchestral career also includes performances with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Opera, Bay Atlantic Symphony, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Durham Symphony Orchestra, Piedmont Wind Symphony, Carolina Philharmonic, Phoenix Arts Symphony Orchestra in the United Kingdom, Lund Symphony Orchestra in Sweden, and the Malmö Symphony Orchestra. He has held principal trumpet positions with the Durham Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Arts Symphony Orchestra, and Lund Symphony Orchestra, in addition to extensive substitute and auxiliary orchestral work throughout the United States and internationally.

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His performance credits include collaborations with Chris Thile, Béla Fleck, Ben Folds, Emanuel Ax, Bryan Terrell Clark, Ana Vidović, Nick Childs, Weird Al Yankovic, and Dee Roscioli, as well as performances with The Music of ABBA – A Tribute from Sweden and The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour.

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In addition to his orchestral career, Dr. Underwood serves as Solo Cornet with the Atlantic Brass Band and maintains an active career as a performer, clinician, adjudicator, and guest artist throughout the United States and internationally.