Dr. Shawn Alger

Shawn Alger is a freelance bassist equally at home with both baroque performance practices and music of the classical canon. As an in-demand performer in the Washington DC area, he has performed with modern and period ensembles such as the National Symphony Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, Washington Bach Consort, Annapolis Symphony, and National Philharmonic. He is the Double Bass Instructor at Washington Adventist University and has been a guest lecturer and clinician for numerous schools, universities, and ensembles throughout the country. 

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Shawn earned his DMA from the University of Maryland in 2015, where he was the recipient of the Pomeroy Prize for excellence in the performance and scholarship of Baroque music. In addition to his busy performance and teaching schedule, Dr. Alger is also the editor of numerous works of baroque music, transcribed for modern double bass. which were the focus of his presentation at the International Society of Bassists Convention in 2017. His primary teachers include Anthony Manzo, Jeffrey Weisner, Tyler Abbott, and Thomas Derthick.

 

Shawn received an MM from Peabody Institute of John Hopkins University, an MA from University of Oregon and a BA from University of the Pacific.