A resident of Eastern Ontario and a graduate of Queen’s University, Howard John Alexander has been a church musician, orchestral musician, music educator, arts advocate, reviewer, and composer over a 45 year career. Howard has been commissioned by many groups and individuals, including the Georgian Bay Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Chamber Winds. Two commissioned works, “Octet 1984” and “Sketch for Organ” were both recorded by CBC. As an educator, Howard composed approximately 100 pieces for different levels of student use. Concert Band music forms the largest portion of his educational focus with pieces ranging from beginning band to accomplished community bands. In 2016 Howard received a commission from internationally acclaimed story teller Deborah Dunleavy for a 50 minute work for orchestra (midi tracks) and storyteller sponsored by a Canada Council for the Arts creation grant. “Isobel Gunn” received its international premiere at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival in October 2019. Also in 2016, Howard was commissioned for a song cycle for solo piano “Were It Not For Hope”. In 2019, Howard received private commissions for “Sometimes a Rainbow” for horn quartet, “Dragonflies” for Saxophone Trio, “Playing” for Trombone, French Horn, and Piano, “Mariposa” for Woodwind Choir, and “Salt” for Soprano, Horn and Piano. That same year Howard’s daughter premiered “For Charlotte” for Horn and Piano in her graduating recital from UofT performance.
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