Alexander Jiménez

ALEXANDER JIMÉNEZ serves as associate professor of conducting and director of orchestral activities at The Florida State University College of Music, and is the String Area coordinator. He has served on the faculties of San Francisco State University and Palm Beach Atlantic University, and has degrees from Baylor University (B.M.) and The Florida State University (M.M., M.M.E, and D.M.). Jiménez has studied with Phillip Spurgeon, Michael Haithcock, and the late Anton Guadagno. As a percussionist and timpanist, he studied with Gary Werdesheim, Larry Vanlandingham, Keiko Abe, and Cloyd Duff.

Under his direction the University Orchestras have continued their long tradition of excellence. Both the undergraduate University Philharmonia and the University Symphony Orchestra under Dr. Jiménez have championed new music and collaborated with such composers as Krzysztof Penderecki, Martin Bresnick, Anthony Iannaconne, Christopher Theofanidis, Ellen Taafe Zwilich, and Ladislav Kubik. In 2007 the USO was featured in the PBS special Peanuts Gallery^® which was awarded Best Performance of 2007 by the National Educational Television Association. Dr. Jiménez has premiered new works with the University Orchestras, including the world premieres of The General by Emmy Award-winning composer Jeff Beal, the Piano Concerto No. 3 by Ladislav Kubik, Trumpeting the Stone by Brent Michael Davids, and the American premiere of Alma by Harold Schiffman. Jiménez has recorded with the Mark, CBC/Ovation, and Naxos labels.

Jiménez is active as a guest conductor and adjudicator throughout the United States and Europe. He has served on the jury panel of the European Festival of Music for Young People in Neerpelt, Belgium, and is a regular adjudicator with Festival Disney. He recently appeared as conductor with the Brno Philharmonic in the Czech Republic to record Kubik’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Dr. Jiménez is in demand conducting honor and all-state orchestras throughout the U.S., including an appearance in 2009 with the MENC All-Eastern Orchestra in Providence, Rhode Island. In Tallahassee, he has appeared as guest conductor of the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra and since 2000 has been music director of the Tallahassee Youth Orchestras.

Dr. Jiménez is currently serving a two-year term as president of the College Orchestra Directors Association. He formerly served on the board of the College Music Society and is active in the Music Educators National Conference, the Florida Orchestra Association, and the League of American Orchestras.