Alexander McDowell, violin

Meet Alexander

Alex appears on Show 479.

Alexander McDowell (violin), 19, is a violinist studying with Sibbi Bernhardsson at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he also studies baroque violin with Edwin Huizinga. Alex also performed at the Kennedy Center in July 2025 as a winner of the 2025 Access/VSA International Young Musicians Program.

Alex studied with Isoa Chapman in Durham, NC for the last 3 years before going to Oberlin. He has also studied with Aimee Kreston, Wendy Sharp, Lynn Chang, Gerardo Ribeiro, Nancy Wilson, Leah Gale Nelson, Giora Schmidt, and Cyrus Beroukhim at summer festivals. He has participated in the Northwestern Bach Academy, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, the Meadowmount School of Music, the University of North Carolina Luby Violin Symposium, New York University Summer Strings, the North Carolina Bach Festival, and the Eastern Carolina University Next Generation Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival. Alex has enjoyed playing in masterclasses for artists including Rachel Barton Pine, Augustin Hadelich, James Ehnes, Elmar Oliveira, Sirena Huang. As a chamber musician, Alex has performed in masterclasses for Randall Goosby, Tai Murray, Harlem Quartet, Terra
Quartet, Amernet Quartet, and Carlos Miguel Prieto.

Alex debuted as a soloist with the Winston-Salem Symphony when he was 13, bringing “maturity and skill well beyond his years” (Maestro Tim Redmond, Winston-Salem Dispatch). Alex has also performed violin solos with the Duke Youth Symphony and North Carolina Bach Festival Ensemble. A passionate and dedicated musician, Alex began studying violin at the age of 5 and also became an avid composer at an early age. His first original composition, “Dark Woods”, was premiered when he was 10 years old, performed by Jennifer Curtis as part of the Arts NOW series in Thompson Theater at North Carolina State University.

When he is in North Carolina, Alex is an active performer at senior centers and his church.

Aside from music, Alex greatly enjoys nature, baseball, and playing with his dog, Allie.

Alexander performs on a fine violin by Luiz Bellini, 1957, on generous loan from the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation.