Dale Sakamoto is a writer, composer, and arranger native to Orange County, California.  He graduated from Vanguard University, Summa Cum Laude, with a double BA in Music Composition and English Literature.  As a composer he has written many pieces ranging in style from a Czech art song to a symphonic tone poem with three movements to a piano song that will complete a four-song CD to be recorded and released in 2012.  He also has arranged several choral pieces including modern pop songs and a hymn.

As a former resident composer of Vanguard University, Dale has won several university awards along with 3rd place in the San Jose Choral Productions Composition Competition and an International Music Prize for his choral piece The Western Shore along with the Hatz Recognition Award for the NFMC Student/Collegiate Competition for his piano piece Fleur de L’ Hiver.  Recently, he has attended June in Buffalo as a young emerging composer. He aspires to continue onward through graduate school and complete his Ph.D. in music composition and eventually to take his musical talents to Broadway and write the book and score for an original Broadway Musical.

Serving as a music theory and English literature tutor at Vanguard University, Dale has helped several students improve their grades along with, more importantly, their understanding of key concepts in music theory and English literature.  He also served as the Tenor Section Leader in the University Concert Choir for two years along with taking private lessons in piano, voice, and composition.  He has played piano since he was eight years old and continues to perform pieces from Brahms to Debussy in concerts and recitals throughout the year.  Dale is also actively involved in his community, as an Eagle Scout, by helping out with Eagle Projects throughout the year.