Duke also performed in the One O'Clock Lab Band playing lead alto saxophone.
[2] Duke joined the faculty of Northern Illinois University (NIU) in 1980 until his recent retirement in 2011.
Composers who have written solo works for Duke include Larry Austin, William O. Smith, Jan Bach, Cort Lippe, James Phelps, Luigi Ceccarelli, Elainie Lillios, Les Thimmig, Rodney Waschka II, Robert Fleisher, and David Maki.
Of particular importance are BluesAx for alto and soprano saxophones and computer music, by Larry Austin, (for which Austin was the first American composer to receive the Magistere (Magisterium) Award in the 23rd International Electroacoustic Music Competition at Bourges in 1996) [4][5] and "Veiled Resonance" for soprano saxophone and live interactive electronics, by Elainie Lillios (for which Lillios received a first prize in the 36e Concours Internationale de Bourges in 2009).
Saint Ambrose has been widely praised[7] and excerpts have been performed by Duke and John Sampen throughout the United States.