The Symphonic Blue Band and guest saxophonist Dale Underwood will perform Sunday at Eisenhower Auditorium, in memory of former band member John V. Scott.

Ned Deihl, professor of music education and director of the Symphonic Band, said he is excited about this weekend's performance.

"Having the soloist is extra exciting. Having it dedicated to John makes it kind of special too," Deihl said.

The program for the concert will be varied. It will range from Camphouse's Tribute, a recent composition, to Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien, the major work on the program.

Underwood will perform Fantasia for Saxophone, a piece written for him, and Song and Dance, a shorter, lighter piece.

Underwood, saxophone soloist with the United States Navy Band, performed with the Symphonic Band in 1984. Although the band invites a soloist every year, Underwood is the only one to be invited a second time.

"He was such a big hit, we had to have him back again," Deihl said.

Deihl first heard Underwood play at a music clinic in Chicago. He said it was then that he decided to have him perform with the Symphonic Band.

"He has a beautiful tone quality, and he's got phenomenal technique," Deihl said. "He has an extraordinary high range. He plays notes that aren't even on the horn. He's up there in the Twilight Zone."

Sunday's concert also includes a trumpet feature. Leroy Anderson's Bugler's Holiday will feature the trio of Dan Klaproth, Lee Dash and Ken Oedemann (sophomore-music education). Klaproth (junior-industrial engineering) said although all three have played the piece before, it will be performed at a different caliber.

Klaproth and Dash (sophomore-accounting) both said the Anderson piece, along with Tribute and Capriccio Italien will get the biggest reactions from the audience.

"People might find that they recognize some of the melodies in Capriccio Italien," Klaproth said.

Klaproth and Dash were both good friends of trumpet player John Scott, who was recently killed in an automobile accident. They said having the concert dedicated to Scott gives them greater inspiration.

"We both feel almost as if we are playing this concert for him," Dash said. "We all know that he is going to be looking down and listening to the concert."

"Somehow, in my mind I will be playing this concert for John," Klaproth said. "We miss him very much as a musician. There is certainly a void in the trumpet section."

Dash said he was very close to Scott, whom he and Klaproth met in high school at an All-Eastern Division Band Festival. The three met again when they coincidentally chose to attend the same university.

Dash and Scott were college roommates for a year and a half.

"He was probably my best friend here at Penn State," Dash said. "When the baton starts off, we are going to be really pumped up."