A doctoral graduate of Vanderbilt University, Professor Reid Alexander is an internationally recognized figure in piano pedagogy. Credits include presentations and recitals in over 40 states and in countries abroad. He recently returned from Korea where he gave guest lectures and master classes at several universities in Seoul and was the invited Keynote Speaker and featured recitalist-clinician for the annual meeting of that country’s prestigious Korean Association of Piano Pedagogy.

A finalist in the first Gina Bachauer Piano Competition, his early piano study was with Gerald Snyder and Stanley Fletcher, with further coaching under prominent artists such as Ruth Slenczynska and Mieczyslaw Horszowski. His widely used publications encompass the new 5th edition of the bibliographic resource on piano literature, Piano Repertoire Guide: Intermediate and Advanced Literature (Stipes, 2011), the 9th edition of Keyboard Musicianship (Stipes), and the highly regarded 27 volume Celebrate Composer Series (Frederick Harris). Earlier in his career, the University of Illinois honored Dr. Alexander as a faculty recipient of a campus award for teaching excellence. During the 1999-2000 academic year Dr. Alexander served as Professor of Piano and Director of Piano Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma.

Teaching Philosophy 
Piano pedagogy is that very special blend of teaching and performance encompassing an understanding of all levels of pianistic and musical development--beginning through advanced--including an awareness of how students learn. At the heart of persuasive performance and effective teaching are the two elements of possessing an eloquent personal musicianship combined with the acquisition of effective and dynamic communication skills for use in a variety of teaching settings. The study of piano pedagogy at the undergraduate level involves introductory teaching experiences and core growth as a musician including performing, studying and listening to music, whereas study at the graduate level further expands one's performance repertoire while pursuing more advanced teaching and research approaches. Toward this end, model musicians are themselves life-long learners, never ceasing to expand their comprehension of music while simultaneously maturing as facilitators and artists. Ultimately, all teaching involves the rewarding process of observing change and growth in others. By facilitating positive and tailored learning experiences, my personal goal is for piano students at the University of Illinois to perfect their individual strengths as teachers and pianists while finding their chosen career path as a contributing member to the universal community of musicians.