Alexander Agate, 21, began learning piano at age 11. At 13 he was accepted into the Applied Music Scholarship program at Moorpark Community College, a two-year program during which he worked with Professor Mona DeCesare. Prior to entering college, he studied under concert pianist Robert Thies for two and a half years. Currently, he is a senior Piano Performance major at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), studying under Professor Dmitry Rachmanov. He has had master classes with many distinguished pianists including John Perry, Norman Krieger, Jerome Lowenthal, Victor Rosenbaum and Nina Lelchuk, among others. The Summer of 2014 proved a busy one as he attended the John Perry institute, where he worked with John Perry, Wojciech Kocyan and Mina Perry before traveling to Vermont to participate in the Adamant Festival, where he studied with Seta Tanyel. During the summer of 2015, he attended two summer festivals: the Southern California Music Institute (John Perry, Director), where he worked with John Perry, Sarkis Baltaian, Andrew Park and Edward Francis, and the IKIF Piano Festival in New York where he took lessons under Victor Rosenbaum, Nina Lelchuk and Jose Santana. In February of 2015 Alexander competed in the National Chopin Competition held in Miami, Florida.
Young Artist Competition – Applications close January 11
The Competition now features a Junior Division and an Open Division. Applications close Jan 11, 2025! We are excited to offer these opportunities for talented young musicians to demonstrate their skill and artistry through the audition process, and for each winner, a cash prize and a performance as soloist with the Pasadena Community Orchestra. Click “Read More” for details.
