DeKALB | Steven Duke, research professor and award-winning concert saxophone player is retiring from NIU after 31 years.

His accomplishments are both from the teaching perspective and the art perspective. Aside from being a professor he is a Sony Columbia artist who released the album, Monk by 2 in 1995. Duke has published over 20 works and was awarded the prestigious Institut international de musique électroacoustique de Bourges.

Duke says his retirement plans are continue teaching Fine Arts Building Chicago and has own studio in his Naperville home. He has two commissions with Kurt Stallman and Larry Austin.