Violinist & Violist
Felix Alanis
About me
Felix Alanis is currently finishing his Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) in Violin Performance at the University of Houston, where he studies with Dr. Kirsten Yon and plans to finish his Doctorate in the fall of 2014. He is concurrently working on a minor in Viola Performance with Prof. Wayne Brooks. He earned two Master’s degrees in Violin Performance and Violin Pedagogy, respectively, from Texas Tech University. Born in Xalapa, Mexico, Mr. Alanis graduated with a Violin Performance Bachelor’s degree from the Universidad Veracruzana where he took violin lessons with the concertmaster of the Xalapa Symphony, Mikhail Medvid, and chamber music lessons with the renowned cellist, Jose Arias.
Mr. Alanis was the first place winner of the Chamber Music
Competition in San Miguel de Allende in 2011 with the Siqueiros Quartet, first place winner in the Concerto Competition of Texas Tech University in 2009, first place winner in the Concerto Competition with the Universidad Veracruzana, and third place winner of the National Violin Competition “Tomas Ruiz Ovalle” in Zacatecas, Mexico in 2010. He has been the featured soloist with the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra, the Zacatecas Philharmonic Orchestra, the Texas Tech University Symphony Orchestra, S.E.C String Quartet, Xalapa, Honduras National Conservatory Orchestra, Caprock Symphony, and Xalapa Chamber Orchestra.
Teaching Experience
Mr. Felix Alanis has been invited to serve as a violin and viola faculty member in international festivals like “Encuentro Nacional de Cuerdas Frotadas” in Honduras, and the “5th Encuentro Internacional de Musica” in the Bellas Artes School of Music in Colombia, South America. He is also part of the YOA Global Leadership Program in which he will be teaching in different parts of the globe representing Mexico and the Orchestra of the Americas.
During his tour with the YOA, Mr. Alanis was able to instruct and help young musicians in countries such as Panama, Salvador, and Belize. He was awarded a Teaching Assistantship with Dr. Kirsten Yon during his Master’s degrees at Texas Tech University and right now at the University of Houston.
Mr. Alanis has been part of the faculty at the Bellas Artes Music School in Veracruz, Mexico. He was also coach of many youth orchestras including the Lubbock Symphony Youth Orchestra for three years. He is also a certified teacher of the Suzuki method since 2008 and member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA).
He is currently teaching private lessons in the Clear Creek Independent School District and also maintains a private studio of about 25 students of violin and viola.
Mr. Alanis has participated in music festivals including the Kent Blossom Music Festival, YOA Orchestra of the Americas, Quartet Program, Festival International do Campos do Jordao, Instrumenta Verano, Texas Music Festival, Lyrica Fest, Florida Chamber Music Program, Norse Festival, and Aguascalientes Chamber Music Festival.
Mr. Alanis is a violinist in the Symphony of Southeast Texas, principal violist of the Lamar Civic Orchestra, and member of the Continent Quartet. As an orchestra performer, he has been a member of ensembles including the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra, the Youth Orchestra of the Americas (YOA), Symphony of Southeast Texas, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, Midland-Odessa Symphony Orchestra, and the Brazosport Symphony Orchestra. He served as concertmaster of the University of Houston Symphony and the Texas Tech Symphony. He also had the opportunity to play with the famous Cleveland Symphony Orchestra during the Kent Blossom Music Festival. As a chamber musician he has performed with great musicians and in numerous places, but one of the most important concert tours he did was with the “Siqueiros Quartet,” performing in the Mexican cities of Leon, Queretaro, San Miguel de Allende, as well as the University de Minnesota in “Hammline Sundin Hall”.
As a student, Mr. Alanis has been honored to play in ensembles working with musicians including Lucy Robert, Claudio Cruz, Elisa Fukuda, William Preucil, Kyung Sun Lee, Fernando Hasaj, Silvia Santa Maria, Andrzej Grabiec, Misha Vitenson, Peter Otto, Ivan Chan, Laura Bossert, and string quartets like the Emerson Quartet, Casals Quartet, St. Petersburg Quartet, Latinoamericano Quartet, Ying String Quartet, Amernet String Quartet, Kronos Quartet, Takács Quartet, Turtle Island Quartet, Penderecki String Quartet, Miró Quartet, Jose White Quartet, and the Miami String Quartet.
Currently, Mr. Alanis is part of the YOA Global Leaders Fellowship Program for which he will be teaching in different countries, representing his country and the YOA orchestra. Additionally, he is certified teacher with the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) since 2008.