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Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts

Alex Stephenson

Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition
School of Music
Office
CE Centennial East 27
Office Phone
(309) 438-8323office
phone
Email
aestep1@ilstu.eduemail
Website
https://alexstephenson.comwebsite
  • About
  • Education
  • Research

Biography

Dr. Alex Stephenson's music has been presented and commissioned by festivals including Tanglewood, Royaumont, ISCM World New Music Days, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Breckenridge Music Festival, Composers Conference, and the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival. Recent and upcoming collaborators include the New Fromm Players, Flux Quartet, Duo Axis, Hausmann Quartet, HOCKET, and the La Jolla Symphony. His music theory scholarship appears in Music Theory Online.

Current Courses

221.001Advanced Chromaticism and Contemporary Analytic Techniques

405.003Composition

205.002Composition:Level II

305.001Topics in Music Analysis

408.001Topics in Music Analysis: Music from 1945-present

Teaching Interests & Areas

Composition, electroacoustic music, music theory, orchestration, aural skills, current trends in music theory/analysis

Research Interests & Areas

Collaboration with soloists, chamber groups, and large ensembles; acoustic and electroacoustic composition; computer-assisted composition; hybrid harmonic systems in contemporary music

PhD Music Composition

University of California San Diego
La Jolla, CA

MA Music Composition

Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY

MM Music Composition

Guildhall School of Music & Drama
London, United Kingdom

BA Music

University of Chicago
Chicago, IL

Journal Article

Stephenson, A. The Poetics and Politics of Ambiguity: Overtone Structures and Equal Temperament in Works by Julian Anderson and Rand Steiger. Music Theory Online 28.2 (2022)

Manuscript

Stephenson, A. Moon Song for solo piano (2025)
Stephenson, A. The Moon's Funeral for tenor and piano (2024)
Stephenson, A. Veil/Flame for solo cello (2024)