Alex V. Munger
mungerav@uwec.edu
262.370.2874
May 2016
B. M.
Anticipated
Summa cum laude 3.78 GPA
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Major: Piano Performance & Collaborative Piano 3.87 GPA
EDUCATION
Specialized Coursework
Instrumental Performance & Collaborative Curriculum
Senior Solo Recital*
Senior Collaborative Recital
Junior Solo Recital
Piano Ensemble Recital
Opera Workshop (Pianist, 5 semesters)
Contemporary Ensemble (Pianist, 2 semesters)
Jazz Ensemble II (Pianist, 2 semesters)
Men’s Glee Club (Pianist, 5 semesters)
Wind Ensemble (Pianist, 2 semesters)
Women’s Chorus (Pianist, 2 semesters)
Piano Collaboration
Keyboard Accompanying
Voice Literature
Opera Literature*
Singer’s Diction: English, French, Italian, German
Introduction to Singing
Directing: Cabaret
Music Theory, Pedagogy & History
Written Music Theory I, II, III, IV
Aural Music Theory I, II, III, IV
Baroque Counterpoint
Music Theory Seminar: Wagner’s Ring Cycle
Music History to 1600; 1600-1900; 1900-Present
Jazz History & Analysis
World Music
Piano Literature
Language, and Interdisciplinary Coursework
Spanish I, II
Science of Musical Sound
Critical Theory: Ian Curtis: Man, Myth & Music
Shakespeare Seminar: Ecocriticism
*forthcoming 2016
Principle Instructors & Master Classes
Dr. Namji Kim
Mary Thomas
Dr. Eugene Alcalay
Jitka Cechova
Drs. Nina Schuman & Luis Magalhães
Private Instruction
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Private Studio Teacher
Master Classes
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Pianist, Smetana Trio
University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
2012—present
2000—12
2013
2014
2015
FEATURED PERFORMANCES, SOLO & COLLABORATIVE PIANO
Junior Solo Piano Recital. UWEC. Fall 2014. Franz Schubert’s Piano Sonata in Bb, D. 960, J.S. Bach’s Prelude
and Fugue in Bb Minor, from WTC Book II, Frederic Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2 in Bb Minor.
Concerto Competition Performance, soloist with University Symphony Orchestra. UWEC. Spring
2014. Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, Mvt. I.
Piano Duo Recital. UWEC, Spring 2015. Witold Lutoslawski’s Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Samuel
Barber’s Souvenirs Op. 28: Mvts. I, V, Franz Schubert’s Fantasie in F minor, D. 940.
Piano Trio Recital. UWEC, Spring 2014. Claude Debussy’s Piano Trio in G Major, Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Piano
Trio in Bb, Op. 11.
Saxophone Recital: Dr. James Bunte. UWEC. Spring 2015. Performance with guest artist from Cincinnati
Conservatory. Henri Tomasi’s Ballade and Eugene Bozza’s Aria.
Violin Recital: Hannah Kennedy. UWEC, Spring 2015. Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. I in G Major Op. 78.
Voice Recital: Laura Schachner, soprano, and Isaac Bont, baritone. UWEC. Spring 2015.
Selections included Nacht by Alban Berg, Gretchen am Spinnrade by Franz Schubert, The Metropolitan Tower by Lori
Laitman, Banalités by Francis Poulenc, and Mozart’s Pa-pa-gena! Pa-pa-geno! from Die Zauberflöte.
Chancellor’s Inauguration Ceremony. UWEC. Fall 2013. Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Piano Trio in Bb, Op. 11.
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COLLABORATIVE PIANO, OPERA, MUSICAL THEATRE AND LITURGICAL WORK
Pianist.
UWEC “Bridge” Piano Trio. 2013—14. Piano trio with students, led by chamber coach Dr. Tulio Rondón.
Presented a recital each semester, and performed at the Chancellor’s Inauguration Ceremony.
UWEC Opera Workshop. 2013—present. Selections include scenes from operas by Britten, Moore, Mozart,
Beethoven, Handel.
UWEC Opera-On-Wheels, Spring 2014 & 2016. Opera scenes group performs works geared towards
younger audiences at local elementary schools, such as Benjamin Britten’s The Little Sweep, and Engelbert
Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, as an outreach program.
UWEC Contemporary Music Ensemble. 2015.
UWEC Singing Statesmen Male Chorus. 2013—present. Travelled internationally to Portugal, and
performed at the ACDA convention in Des Moines, Iowa.
UWEC Wind Symphony. 2014. Performed at the National Tuba & Euphonium Convention at Indiana
University, Bloomington, IN.
Jazz Ensemble II & III. 2013-14.
UWEC Women’s Chorus. 2012-13.
University Lutheran Church, Ecumenical Religious Center, Eau Claire, WI. 2012-present. Pianist for
Wednesday evening and Sunday services. Also choir rehearsals and performances.
Saving Grace Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, WI. 2015-present. Pianist for two services per weekend, and
organized collaborations with other musicians for special music during the service.
Conductor. Cabaret Production (UWEC). 2015-16. Oversee choral/instrumental arranging during cabaret variety
show production. Lead rehearsals & conduct jazz band that accompanies choral groups. (8 performances over 2 wks.
Rehearsal Pianist.
Operas
Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus (UWEC). 2014.
Mozart’s Le Nozze De Figaro (UWEC). 2015. Also Répétiteur.
Musicals
Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Les Miserables. With Eau Claire Children’s Theatre (ECCT) and
Conductor Nicholas Drayton. 2013.
Mark Charlap’s Peter Pan. With ECCT and Conductor Jordan Jenkins. 2012.
Galen Blum, Wayne Barker and Vinnie Martucci’s Clue: The Musical. With ECCT, 2012.
UWEC Cabaret: “Community” Production. 2015.
Self-Employed Piano Instructor. Provide piano lessons for a small number of elementary age students.
ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES
Voice Recitals
Annie Jackson Voice Recital
Voice Studio Recital
Brass Recitals
Leah Reber Trumpet Recital
Graham Pollack Trumpet Recital
Jake Kobberdahl Trumpet Recital
Quentin Volk Trumpet Recital
French Horn Studio Recital
Euphonium Studio Recital
String Recitals
Kaitlyn Witherspoon Cello Recital
2015
2013 & 15
2013
2013
2013
2013 & 14
2013
2012
2014
Piano Recitals
Piano Studio Recital
Piano Ensemble Recital
Winds Recitals
Clarinet Studio Recital
Jerod Kaszynski Saxophone Recital
Saxophone Studio Recital
Composition Recitals
Composition Studio Recital
Heidi Joosten Composition Recital
Cody Christian Composition Recital
Jordan Jenkins Composition Recital
Karl Lepp Composition Recital
2014 & 15
2014
2012-15
2014
2013
2013 & 15
2013
2013
2015
2014
RESEARCH
“Composing a Pastiche Opera from Bel Canto Sources and a Mexican Folk Story.” With Dr.
Kenneth Pereira (MUS & THEA), UWEC, 2015-16. This project employs preexisting numbers from the operas of
Bellini, Rossini and Donizetti with a libretto based on a Mexican folk tale about the Aztec warrior-princess Iztaccíhuatl to
create a new opera. The work incorporates themes of romanticism, nationalism and naturalism.
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“A Comparative Study of Wozzeck and Peter Grimes.” With Dr. Tulio Rondón (MUS & THEA),
UWEC. Summer, 2015. A comparative study of 20th-century operatic techniques in Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes
and Alban Berg’s Wozzeck through musical analysis, eco-critical study, and performance practice issues. My focus lies
with how orchestral interludes reify drama within the operas, how the opera’s natural environment influences dramatic
and musical choices, and how staging of specific scenes can be translated for an opera workshop medium.
“Ironic Implications in Wagner’s Ring Cycle.” In Music Theory Seminar: Wagner’s Ring Cycle with
Dr. Gary Don (MUS & THEA), UWEC. Spring, 2015. A study of how musical irony reifies dramatic and textual
moments in Siegfried and Götterdämmerung. Examples include Sigfried’s conversation with Mime (Siegfried, scene three,
Act II) as the music exposes Mime’s false flattery through avoided cadences and overt lyrical vocal lines. In
Götterdämmerung, (Scene two, Act I) the Gibichungs’ false hospitality to Siegfried is developed and exposed through
layers of meaning between the text and music that convey the ironic implications of the drama.
“Tackling Berg on Berg’s Terms.” In Music History 1900-Present with Dr. Ryan Jones (MUS & THEA),
UWEC. Fall, 2014. Tracing various theorists’ interpretations of Alban Berg’s Piano Sonata, Op. 1, regarding bias
through tonal or atonal interpretations, and the influence of his teacher, Schoenberg. Emphasis placed on theorists Dave
Headlam’s analysis through his Schenkerian reduction, and Theodore Adorno’s writings tracing the influence of
Schoenberg upon Berg’s work.
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
“A Comparative Study of Wozzeck and Peter Grimes.” With Dr. Tulio Rondón, Department of
Music and Theatre Arts, (MUS), UWEC. Summer, 2015. Astra: The McNair Scholars’ Journal. UWEC.
Forthcoming.
 24th National McNair Scholars’ Research Conference and Graduate Fair, UW-Milwaukee &
Midwest Association of Educational Opportunity Programs. Delevan, WI. October 29th – 31st, 2015.
 16th Annual UWEC McNair Scholars’ Colloquia series, UWEC. December 2015.
 Celebration of Excellence in Research and Creative Activity, UWEC. May, 2016.
“Ian Curtis: The Man, the Myth, the Music.” With Dr. Bob Nowlan, and students Mark Priebe and
Emilio Taiveaho. Department of English (ENG), UWEC. Spring, 2015. Presented at the 5th Annual UWEC
Honors Symposium. Engaging with the intersection of critical, and especially social, theory with popular music as
cultural studies, Ian Curtis, lead singer of the post-punk band Joy Division, was examined through the lens of various
critical theorists, specifically Trinh-T-Minha’s essay: Infinite Layers/Third World, drawing on the interpretation of the
self with regard to mental illness.
GRANTS, AWARDS, & DISTINCTIONS
$1,150
$500
$5,800
$750
$400
$900
$725
$2,500
$1,450
$1,000
$1,000
Research Grant. UWEC Office of Research & Sponsored Programs
Travel Grant. McNair Achievement Program
Research Grant. U.S. Dept. of Education. McNair Achievement Program
Viennese Ball Senior Scholarship
Dr. Dona and Elsa Brinkman Scholarship
J.H./E.J. Kleiner Music Scholarship
Viennese Ball Keyboard Scholarship
University Scholarship Fund
Cabaret Choral Scholarship
Brian Stricklin Memorial Scholarship
Florence and Fred Nelson Scholarship
First Place, UWEC Concerto Competition (Keyboard Division)
Academic Distinction, UWEC
Dean’s List, UWEC
AP Scholar with Honor, New Berlin West High School
2015-16
2015
2015-2016
2015
2014
2014
2013-14
2013
2012-15
2012
2012
2013
2012-present
2014-present
2012
LEADERSHIP, MEMBERSHIPS, & SERVICE
Phi Mu Alpha. Gamma Beta Chapter: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. 2013-present.
Music Director, 2015—present. Responsibilities include planning an American music recital each
semester, organizing performances at community nursing homes, and conducting rehearsals during weekly
meetings.
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MTNA Collegiate Chapter (UWEC). 2014 – present.
President, 2015 – 2016. Responsibilities include leading bi-monthly meetings, acting as liaison with
Chippewa Valley MTNA chapter and arranging fund-raising activities for approximately 10-member university
student chapter.
Secretary, 2014 – 2015. Responsible for communication and publicity, recorded and maintained minutes of
monthly meetings.
New Berlin West Middle/High School Orchestra, New Berlin, WI. 2007 – 2012. Played Violin
(2007 – 2010) and Piano (2010 – 2012) at six public concerts per year as part of approximately 30 member Middle
School and High School Orchestra.
Wisconsin Music Teachers Association (WMTA). 2014 – present
Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). 2014 – present.
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