Biography

Dr. Kate Alexandra, DMA (she/her) is an educator and performer in Chicagoland. In 2019, Kate earned her doctorate in double bass performance with a cognate in arts administration from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. As part of her doctoral studies, she commissioned a selection of works by nine women composers representing a diverse set of backgrounds. As an educator in double bass performance, Kate has taught at both university and secondary levels at several institutions, including Black Hills State University, Ball State University, the Cincinnati Double Bass Institute, and the Cincinnati Public School system.

During the 2022 Hybrid ASTA National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, Kate presented the session “Commissioning for Everybody: An Individual’s Guide to Fundraising, Recording, and Collaborating.” At the 2023 International Society of Double Bassists held at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Kate, along with pianist Dr. Christina Lalog Seal, presented “Putting the “Us” in Music: A World Premiere Recital of Six New Works by Women Composers.” Kate is a member of the ASTA Studio Committee, a studio teacher liaison board member for Illinois ASTA, and life member of the International Society of Bassist. Kate and Samuel Araya co-host ILASTA’s monthly online events for private studio teachers: Studio Teacher Chat and Book Club.

Kate has participated in summer festivals including the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival as a Professional Fellow studying with Mr. Jeff Bradetich and Dr. Gudrun Raschen (2017) and Sewanee Summer Music Festival studying with Sid King (2013). She was honored with the Katherine Anne Suber-Whiton Memorial Award for Double Bass Excellence in 2012 and 2010 from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her influential teachers include Rachel Calin, Albert Laszlo, Maurice Todd, Paul Erhard, Nick Recuber, Jenny West, Miriam Bijkerk, Jason Heath, and Jamie Chen.