Justin Alexander
Virginia Commonwealth University - United States

Overview

Justin Alexander is currently Visiting Assistant Professor of Percussion at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he teaches applied lessons, percussion methods and techniques, percussion pedagogy, and directs the VCU Percussion Ensemble. Prior to his appointment at VCU, he served as Adjunct Instructor of Percussion at Troy University, teaching applied lessons and assisting with the Troy University Percussion Ensemble, winners of the 2012 Percussive Arts Society International Percussion Ensemble Competition.

An active and diverse performer, Justin has given recitals, clinics, and master classes throughout the United States. He has performed and presented at conferences held by The Percussive Arts Society, The College Music Society, The National Association of Wind and Percussion Instructors, as well as numerous “Days of Percussion” festivals across the country. He co-founded and performed with the Denkyem Percussion Group at the “Promising Artists of the 21st Century” Festival held at the North American Cultural Center in Costa Rica and performed with the Santo Domingo Music Festival in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He has performed with the The Florida Orchestra, The Aspen Festival Orchestra, The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, The Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra in Greensboro, North Carolina, and the Tallahassee Symphony.

Justin has commissioned and premiered works by composers such as John Luther Adams, Christopher Adler, Blake Tyson, Halim El-Dahb, Brian Nozny, Ian Dicke, and Nathaniel Bartlett, and can be heard on Nathaniel Bartlett's new release, Far Reaches, The Florida State University Percussion Ensemble's Volume One and Volume Two, and Omar Carmenates’s The Gaia Project. As a co-founder of Garnet House Productions, Justin's work as an audio engineer can be heard on Blake Tyson's newly released Firefish, Thomas Burritt’s Groundlines, Omar Carmenate's The Gaia Project, and Line Upon Line Percussion’s self-titled debut. In addition, Justin's arrangement of From My Little Island for percussion ensemble was premiered by the Florida State University Percussion Ensemble at the 2011 Percussive Arts Society International Convention.

Active in the Percussive Arts Society, Justin has had articles published in Percussive Notes, the official research journal of the Percussive Arts Society, and currently serves on the PAS Drum Set and University Pedagogy Committees. He served as chair of the PAS University Committee from 2009-2012.

Justin holds the Doctor of Music Degree in Percussion Performance from The Florida State University. His primary teachers include Dr. John W. Parks IV, Dr. Blake Tyson, and Prof. Leon Anderson.

Justin is a proud endorser of Pearl Drums/Adams Musical Instruments, Zildjian Cymbals, and Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets.