Alex Moore, Associate Principal / Utility Horn
Nancy F. Seeley Chair
A native of Austin, Texas, Alex Moore began playing the horn at the age of 11. He has previously performed with the Houston Symphony and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and, during the summer, has performed at the Round Top Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival and the Tanglewood Music Center.
Alex holds a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University, where he was a student of Gail Williams and Jon Boen, and a Master of Music degree from Rice University, where he studied under the tutelage of William VerMeulen.
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The facts:
I am from Austin, Texas.
What are you most excited for as you begin your tenure with Artis—Naples?
I am most excited to perform amazing works with such incredible colleagues and to be in such a beautiful place!
What is one fun fact about you?
A fun fact about myself is that, growing up in Austin, I did taekwondo for over 10 years.
What inspired you to become a musician?
I believe I was first inspired to become a musician during the summer after my first year of high school. I went to the Interlochen Arts Festival, where my teacher at Rice University, William VerMeulen, was teaching for the week. Although I hadn’t given a lot of thought towards pursuing music, he made it seem so achievable. From then on, I knew I wanted to be a musician.
What’s challenging about playing your instrument?
Although the horn can be challenging in lots of ways, I think one of my ongoing challenges has to do with the way that as horn players we have to take on so many different roles. In the orchestra, we are constantly playing as members of the string, woodwind and brass families and must be able to adapt based on who we are playing with.
What are your favorite compositions?
I am a bit biased in that many of my favorite compositions feature the horn in a prominent role. Among these, a few of my all-time favorites include Brahms’ Trio for Horn, Violin and Piano; Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony; and Mahler’s Seventh Symphony.
What have you been listening to recently?
This summer, I have been fortunate enough to attend some amazing live performances, which have featured works such as Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances.
Are there other musicians in your immediate family?
While there aren’t any other musicians in my immediate family, my family is full of music lovers. My father has worked to build a record collection over the years, and listening to those with him every night has been another musical inspiration.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I love to cook and to learn new things about cooking and food.