Biography
Swedish‑American classical guitarist whose work draws on four distinct guitar traditions: American, Russian, Serbian, and Swedish.
Studies
Born in Stockholm and raised between Sweden and the United States. Trained first as a pianist from the age of six, then as a guitarist from nine. Early development ran in parallel across classical, flamenco, and electric idioms — the latter shaped by years in progressive metal and neoclassical projects, and by studies and collaborations with Berklee guitar professor Bobby Stanton.
A Bachelor of Music in guitar performance was completed at McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2008. Coursework spanned classical technique, jazz, drum studies, recording theory, arranging, and composition — an unusually broad American conservatory training that continues to inform playing and teaching.
From 2020 to 2023, advanced classical guitar studies followed under Mikhail Nagornov, head of the guitar department at the Kazan State Conservatory named after N. G. Zhiganov — an immersion in the Russian classical approach. Currently in the final term of a Master’s degree program that will be completed this summer at Slobomir P University (Bosnia & Herzegovina), with the performance component undertaken in Belgrade under Dušan Dimitrijević — one of the foremost figures in Serbian classical guitar.
Flamenco study has been done with Andreas Gremek, from Austria, alongside earlier work in the same tradition during years in the United States.
Teaching
Many years of private classical and flamenco guitar teaching in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area in the United States, followed by Music Academy teaching in Oslo, Norway.
Performance
Alexander performs as a soloist and as one half of The Danube Duet, a mandolin‑and‑classical‑guitar ensemble formed in 2025 with Russian mandolinist Tatyana Koryukina, a Master's graduate of the Kazan State Conservatory. The duo debuted in Belgrade in April 2026, and continues an active concert programme across Serbia and central Europe. Concert repertoire spans Bach, Tárrega, Villa-Lobos, Barrios, Chopin, and the Russian guitar tradition, alongside arrangements and contemporary works for mandolin and guitar.
Instruments
Concert performances are given on a guitar built by Russian luthier Simeon Yolkin, modelled after an 1888 instrument by Antonio de Torres — the maker who effectively established the modern classical guitar. Flamenco work is performed on an Esteve Alegría Flamenca.
