Skip to main content
Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts

Alex Stephenson

Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition
Alex's Profile Image
Office
CE Centennial East 27
Office Phone
(309) 438-8323office
phone
Email
aestep1@ilstu.eduemail
Website
https://alexstephenson.comwebsite
  • About
  • Education
  • Awards & Honors
  • Selected 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

MUS 205.001 Composition:Level II

MUS 108.001 Group Instruction In Basic Musicianship II

MUS 108.002 Group Instruction In Basic Musicianship II

MUS 108.004 Group Instruction In Basic Musicianship II

MUS 102.001 Music Theory II

MUS 474.001 Theory Pedagogy for Educators

PhD Music Composition

University of California San Diego
La Jolla, California

MA Music Composition

Eastman School of Music
Rochester, New York

Other Music Composition

Guildhall School of Music and Drama
London, United Kingdom

BA Music

University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Charles Ives Fellowship

American Academy of Arts and Letters
2026

Barbara and Paul Saltman Excellent Teaching Award

UC San Diego
2022

Performances and Exhibits

An Elemental Music
Alex Stephenson.
May 17 2026 - May 17 2026
An Elemental Music
Alex Stephenson.
May 16 2026 - May 16 2026
Leaf
Alex Stephenson.
March 28 2026 - March 28 2026
Logarithms of a Landscape
Alex Stephenson.
June 27 2026 - June 27 2026
Logarithms of a Landscape
Alex Stephenson.
April 10 2026 - April 10 2026
Adrift
Alex Stephenson.
March 8 2025 - March 8 2025
Adrift
Alex Stephenson.
March 6 2025 - March 6 2025
Illinois State University Alma Mater
Alex Stephenson.
November 19 2025 - November 19 2025
L'Histoire du Soldat Concert Suite
Alex Stephenson.
February 28 2025 - February 28 2025
Landscape with Changes
Alex Stephenson.
April 5 2025 - April 5 2025
Logarithms of a Landscape
Alex Stephenson.
September 14 2025 - September 14 2025
Moon Song
Alex Stephenson.
January 22 2025 - January 22 2025
Shadow Figures
Alex Stephenson.
January 22 2025 - January 22 2025
Soif
Alex Stephenson.
March 15 2025 - March 15 2025
The Moon's Funeral
Alex Stephenson.
March 25 2025 - March 25 2025
Veil/Flame
Alex Stephenson.
March 26 2025 - March 26 2025

Creative Works/Broadcast Media

Veil/Flame for solo cello (audio recording)
Alex Stephenson, Aaron M Paolucci.
Society of Composers CD Series, 36, (2026)
Veil/Flame for solo cello (video recording)
Alex Stephenson.

Journal Article

The Poetics and Politics of Ambiguity: Overtone Structures and Equal Temperament in Works by Julian Anderson and Rand Steiger
Alex Stephenson.
Music Theory Online, 28 (2), (2022), 10.30535/mto.28.2.8

Other

Leaf for 16 players
Alex Stephenson.
(2026)
Logarithms of a Landscape for string orchestra
Alex Stephenson.
(2026)
Veil/Flame for solo cello (score)
Alex Stephenson.
Society of Composers Journal of Music Scores, 62, (2026)
Illinois State University Alma Mater for wind ensemble
Alex Stephenson.
(2025)
Logarithms of a Landscape for string quartet
Alex Stephenson.
(2025)
Moon Song for solo piano
Alex Stephenson.
(2025)
The Moon's Funeral for tenor and piano
Alex Stephenson.
(2024)
Veil/Flame for solo cello
Alex Stephenson.
(2024)