Alexander Cha

Hello there! My name is Alexander Cha, and I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music in Clarinet Performance. I am also a graduate from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University with a Bachelor’s degree in Clarinet performance. Previously, I attended the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division for 5 years while studying with esteemed professors Larry Guy and Jo-Ann Sternberg. While at IU I studied under the direction of Rudy Professor Eli Eban, the principal clarinetist of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. I now study under NY Philharmonic clarinetist Pascual Martinez-Forteza. I was a Founders Scholar at Indiana University for four years and have attended prestigious summer music festival organizations such as the Eastern Music Festival and National Music Festival. In addition, I also have experience working with the Conductor’s Orchestra at IU and in private tutoring for clarinet. Alexander is also an active soloist having participated in notable performances that include;

• Grand prize winner of the National League of Performing Arts Concerto Competition, 
• First prize winner of the National Artists Competition, 
• Second place winner of the International Grande Music Competition. 

My goal is to not only develop skills as a music performer but to use those skills to enable my fellow musicians through teaching. I have tutored many musicians but my passion for teaching really took off during the 2020 Covid pandemic. During my time in quarantine I was able to offer clarinet tutoring to a number of students in my hometown and surrounding towns in an effort to keep music alive throughout a time where music felt disconnected. I can say with absolute certainty that it was a truly eye-opening experience thanks to the bright young musicians I worked with. 

Consequently, I am thrilled to work with any and all clarinetists this summer to not only “teach music” but foster a deep understanding of proper technique and music-making skills on the clarinet. I am confident in working with anyone seeking extra practice or help with anything clarinet-related and also questions related to music in college. Please let me know if you are interested!

I believe that the most important aspects of teaching classical music are technique and musicality. Understanding the fundamentals of musical technique are critical to any player's ability to comprehend concepts like rhythm, tempo and musicality correctly. For this reason I am keen on making sure my students understand how to play their instruments correctly by utilizing proper technique. Also, I believe incorporating musicality into one's playing is equally as important, so in lessons this means working to not just read the notes off of a page but to create music.