Philip Alejo

Although there are only a handful of double bass and harp duos in the world, over twenty composers have written works for this instrumentation. As an accomplished member of this small community, bassist Philip Alejo is in a unique position to commission new works from influential composers and add to the growing repertoire of pieces for double bass and harp. In an effort to reach a larger and more international audience, Alejo applied for funding that will enable him to professionally release American Landscapes: New Commissions for Harp and Double Bass. The album will comprise six new works commissioned by Alejo and harpist Claire Happel, who perform and record under the name River Town Duo.

Over the past two years, Alejo and Happel have recorded and edited with Wiley Ross, recording engineer at the University of Arizona Haskell Recording Studio. Now that they have produced a mastered recording of their repertoire, Alejo feels they are prepared to publish their work through a profession record label.

In 2018, prior to completing all recording and editing work, Alejo and Happel shared their progress-to-date with several labels, receiving contracts to work with two of them. Now that they’ve produced a mastered recording (as of October 2019), they will again shop the project, having narrowed their submission focus to three labels. 

Signing a contract with a professional label allows the artists to share recordings across multiple music platforms, including digital resources like iTunes and Spotify, as well as in the catalogs of traditional retailers.

“Publishing an album is the next logical step after the many performances that I have presented with River Town Duo at the state and national levels,” Alejo said in his R&D Grant application. “It is my goal that the publication of an album will lead to even more opportunities to perform in venues of state, national, and international prominence, and lead to commendation and reviews by respected music journals.”

Work Samples

“For Claire and Philip” by River Town Duo

“For Claire and Philip” is the first piece commissioned by River Town Duo, composed by Pulitzer Prize and Grammy-winning composer Caroline Shaw.

“Dr. Philip Alejo is the Associate Professor of Music, Double Bass at the University of Arizona and Artist Faculty at the Bay View Music Festival. Previously he served as Associate Principal Bass of the Quad City Symphony and Visiting Professor of Bass at the University of Michigan. A former member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra, Philip has additionally performed with the Tucson Symphony, Arizona Opera, Ensemble Dal Niente, Flint Symphony, and Ann Arbor Symphony.

As a chamber musician, Philip collaborates regularly with harpist Claire Happel in River Town Duo. RTD has premiered many newly commissioned works by living composers, including Caroline Shaw, Stephen Andrew Taylor, and Hannah Lash. His numerous music festivals residencies include Spoleto Festival USA, Lucerne Festival, Swannanoa Chamber Music Festival, Mackinac Island Music Festival, Oaxaca Instrumenta, Aldeburgh Festival, Tucson Winter Chamber Music Festival, Avaloch Farm Music Institute, Pacific Music Festival, and Aspen Music Festival.

Philip teaches at the Arizona ASTA Bass Jams and the Richard Davis Bass Conference at the University of Wisconsin. He was recently named Guest Professor at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music and MusAid Teaching Artist at El Sistema, El Salvador. Philip holds degrees from Oberlin College (BA, BM), Yale University (MM), and the University of Michigan (DMA).”

Artist photo by Cameron Arens