Mexican-American violist/conductor, Alexander Peña, serves as the Director of Orchestra at ‘Iolani School in Honolulu. An active member of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, he can also be seen performing across the islands with the Kauai Concert Association, Maui Pops Orchestra, Early Music Hawaii, and First Monday Concert Series at Lutheran Church of Honolulu. As a clinician and chamber musician, Mr. Peña serves on the faculty of the Pacific Music Institute (PMI), has taught in a variety of capacities with the Hawaii Youth Symphony (HYS), and has been invited as guest artist at the University of Hawaii Mānoa Music Department. A passionate advocate of the arts in our community, Mr. Peña currently serves as the President-elect of the Hawaii-Chapter of the American String Teachers Association and remains active with the Hawaii Music Teachers Association (former Board of Directors).
In addition to his work in Hawai’i, Mr. Peña is a founding-member, section violist, and Education Programs Advisor with the Lakes Area Music Festival (LAMF), now celebrating its 18th year in Northern Minnesota. Alexander earned an Arts Leadership Program Certificate, the Robert Oppelt Viola Prize, Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. Summer music festival appearances have included: Eastern Music Festival, The Heifetz Institute, Colorado College Music Festival, Domaine Forget de Charlevoix International Music, and Luzerne Music Center. In 2019, Peña also received an Executive Graduate Certificate from the Global Leaders Music Program, where he was awarded the Global Humanitarian Entrepreneur Prize from the Hildegard Behrens Foundation.