Alex is a Ph.D. student in musicology at UCLA, having previously received an MA in musicology from Indiana University in 2016 and a BA in music from Cornell University in 2013. His research focuses broadly on ontological issues in American popular music, especially those surrounding transcription, but he has also presented research on the gendered discourse of Charles Ives and on Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. Current projects range from Gunther Schuller’s problematic transcriptions of Ornette Coleman’s free jazz to the recorded music of Frank Zappa and Ariana Grande. Alex has spoken at conferences in numerous countries, including IASPM-Canada and the Society for American Music, along with jazz and transcription conferences in Europe. He was previously a co-coordinator for the department’s Distinguished Lecture Series (2017-18) and is currently pursuing UCLA’s Graduate Certificate in Writing Pedagogy.
Alex Hallenbeck
Musicology – Research Focus: Ontological issues in American popular music
Conducting
Graduate study and training in choral, orchestral, or wind conducting
Ethnomusicology
The study of global musical traditions through performance training, research, and field work
Global Jazz Studies
Jazz performance and musicianship courses are paired with African American Studies
Music Composition
Mentorship in the creation and realization of music for concerts, opera, and visual media
Music Education
Preparation for music educators leading to a BA and teaching credential in just four years
Music Industry
A leadership-focused professional degree which prepares students to transform the creative, entrepreneurial, and executive structures of the music industry
Musicology
The scholarly study of the histories, cultures, and critical interpretations of music and music-making
Music Performance
Study and training towards professional performance careers in Western classical music