Dennis Alexander

Since his original affiliation with Alfred Publishing Co. in 1986 as a composer and clinician, Dennis Alexander has earned an international reputation as one of North America’s most prolific and popular composers of educational piano music for students at all levels. Professor Alexander retired in May 1996 from his position at the University of Montana, where he taught piano and piano pedagogy for 24 years. Upon moving to California, he taught privately in addition to serving on the faculties of California State University at Fullerton and Northridge. He currently lives in Albuquerque, where he maintains an active composing and touring schedule. He currently publishes with Hal Leonard Corp.

Alexander is a native Kansan, having graduated from the University of Kansas where he was a student of Richard Reber. In 1972, he was invited to join the faculty at the University of Montana and served as piano department chair in addition to his teaching duties in applied piano, class piano and piano pedagogy. In 1987, he made his New York debut at Carnegie Recital Hall with violinist Walter Olivares and continues to be active as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician. He has served as a collaborative artist for numerous internationally recognized soloists, instrumentalists and chamber groups. A former president of the Montana State Music Teachers Association, he is a popular clinician at state and national music teacher conventions. In 2009 and 2022, he was invited by MTNA to conduct the intermediate level master class at their national convention in Atlanta (2009) and Minneapolis (2022). Alexander was a judge for “Musiquest,” a national piano competition in India, and has toured twice to the far East where he performed recitals and workshops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and South Korea.

Many of his commissioned compositions are included in the National Federation of Music Study Clubs Festival required list. His music is being performed by students throughout the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe. One of Mr. Alexander’s most significant contributions to the repertoire is “24 Character Preludes” in all major and minor keys, which includes a CD with himself as soloist. In 2015, he was honored by the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy with the Lifetime Achievement Award. He is also a co-author of Alfred’s Premier Piano Course. His chamber music work, “Dance Suite” for piano, violin, and cello was commissioned by MTNA in 2013. His “Nocturnes for Piano, Books 1 and 2 were selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2020 MTNA/Frances Clark Pedagogy Award.

www.DennisAlexander.com.