Alexander Kollias
Alexander S. Kollias has performed across the world in venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Winter Garden, in the World Financial Center, in New York, the Yokosuka Arts Theatre in Japan, and Harpa in Reykjavik, Iceland. Kollias has recorded on two previously released CD’s with the GVSU New Music Ensemble, Music for 18 Musicians and In C Remixed, both receiving much critical acclaim. He has premiered multiple works by composers such as Susan Botti, David MacBride, Jessica Rudman, Thomas Schuttenhelm, and Ken Steen. Kollias is a previous winner of the Paranov Concerto Competition, Sewanee Summer Music Festival Concerto Competition, and the Grand Valley State University Concerto Competition.
Kollias is a clarinetist devoted to exploring the multitude of characters within the clarinet voice. As a chamber musician, he is the principal clarinetist with the Hartford Independent chamber Orchestra (HICO), as well as a founding member of Kalmia Ensemble. As a jazz clarinetist he is a founding member of the traditional jazz ensemble, French 75, and performs regularly with the Juniper Hill Jumpers and Corinthian Jazz Band. He also is a founding member of the unispherical jazz ensemble, HuaTian Ave, a group dedicated to playing and improvising together to create something original and honest comprised of guzheng, clarinet, and guitar.
Along with performing, Kollias has a continuous commitment to pedagogy. His students range from young beginners to university students. He is on faculty at The Hartt School Community Division, The Hotchkiss School, and Holyoke Community College. His young students are competitive at the district and state levels, and many continue their clarinet studies at the collegiate level.
Kollias holds both a Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA 2018) and a Master of Music (MM 2013) degree from The Hartt School, where he studied with Ayako Oshima.