swordfishy
“You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself.”
- Galileo
Alden
2010 - Present
He now resides in Oregon, and plays in multiple projects regularly. He attended Portland State University to earn a degree in philosophy, as the conceptual boundaries between perception and creation have always interested him. He constantly draws on his past as a classical musician in chamber groups as he performs with groups currently, but also enjoys drawing upon influences from classic rock, progressive rock, funk, and hip hop as he creates new music.
After graduating PSU in late 2016, he spent 2017 and 2018 performing in various groups, spanning five states, recording several albums, and generally having a blast. The exhaustion set in halfway through 2018, so when both Backbeat Music Academy and Underground Music Station offered him teaching positions, he decided to take the opportunity. He continues to teach at Backbeat Music Academy as of 2021.
He now spends his days teaching private music lessons, focused on expression, mindfulness, and critical thinking, empowering the next generation of musicians.
Birth - 2010
Born into a musical family, Teacher Alden began studying violin at five years old with the Suzuki Technique. After several years of intensive ear training, he began studying classical piano, cementing the foundation of his broad interests across genres. He continued to study piano as his interest in viola and electric bass blossomed in his middle school years. High school led to playing bass in his sister’s band as he began to perform on viola seriously, while balancing positions like the principal violist for the LCHS Chamber Orchestra, Festival of the Arts, and the Spokane Youth Symphony. While in high school, he coached chamber groups and taught private violin, viola, and cello at Salk and Sacajawea Middle Schools in Spokane, Washington.
For college, his acceptance at the Berklee College of Music for viola performance was a highlight, but due to tendonitis-related injuries, he declined attending. He instead began to study audio engineering at Spokane Falls Community College. From this experience, he learned that he is a performer and not an engineer.
