Shawn Alger

Shawn Alger is a double bassist equally at home in a variety of musical settings including
music of the classical cannon, historical performance, and popular genres. As an in-
demand performer in the Washington DC area, he serves as the Associate Principal
Bassist of the Maryland Symphony and has performed with modern and period
ensembles such as the National Symphony Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, Annapolis
Symphony, and National Philharmonic. Dr. Alger is a section bassist with the Endless
Mountain Music Festival, an organization dedicated to outreach and bringing live musical
performances to the under-served counties of northern Pennsylvania and central New
York.
In addition to his performance duties, Dr. Alger 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. His private
students have enjoyed participation in Maryland All State and All County Ensembles as
well as youth orchestras such as Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra, Potomac Valley
Youth Orchestra, and the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra.
Dr. Alger holds a DMA from the University of Maryland, a Master of Music
Performance degree from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University and a
Master of Arts in Musicology from the University of Oregon, as well as a Bachelor of
Music in Performance and Music History from the University of the Pacific. His primary
teachers include Anthony Manzo, Jeffrey Weisner, Tyler Abbott, and Thomas Derthick.