Yucheng “Alex” Zhang is actively involved as both a composer and arranger. His compositions have been performed and recorded throughout U.S. and China by various ensembles including L’abri Trio, Music & Friends Chamber Ensemble, Duo Zonda, Durations Trio, Matador Brass, Sonic Harvest Chamber Orchestra, Texas Tech University Symphony Orchestra, Linfield University Concert Choir, University of Northern Colorado Chamber Choir, as well as features with the North American Saxophone Alliance Biannual Conference, Charlotte New Music Festival, Atlantic Music Festival, and NYC Contemporary Music Symposium. His previous composition teachers include Jennifer Jolley, Peter Fischer, Robert Ehle, Eric Alexander, and Richard Bourassa.

Alex is also immersed in music education and pedagogy, having taught at both the collegiate and secondary education levels. He was a research assistant for a faculty research endeavor at Linfield University Department of Music, aiding his professor’s dissertation on topics of aural skills and improvisation in collegiate classrooms, which has been published in the Columbia University archive of doctoral studies. Alex completed a post-baccalaureate teaching licensure program in music education at the University of Northern Colorado. Currently, Alex is a faculty member of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Music as lecturer in theory/composition. Before moving to Illinois, he served as the music theory Graduate Part-Time Instructor at Texas Tech and a faculty member at Texas Tech University Band and Orchestra Camp. He also served as president of the Society of Composers Inc at Texas Tech.

Education:

D.M.A. Composition—Texas Tech University
M.M. Theory and Composition—University of Northern Colorado
B.A. Music—Linfield University