“Southern Miss was key to moving my career to the next stage. There I found dedicated scholars who were also brilliant, effective teachers, who helped me renew my interest for the theoretical and scholarly side of our profession, and indirectly reignited my interest for composing, which now occupies a lot of my time and energy.”
ALUMNUS
Dr. ALeJANDRO DRAGO
ADVICE
“I would like to encourage incoming students to establish contacts and relationships within USM Music - the school is full of hidden gems in terms of knowledge, experience and contacts, and the most valuable experiences that await them may be hiding in plain sight.” “Also, USM Music has managed over the years to gather a highly talented and dynamic pool of students - those will be your colleagues and coworkers in five, six years - cultivate your network!”
“Importantly, my time at Southern Miss erased any remainder of a prejudice I could have had about obtaining a serious, well-grounded education in the arts in a less-than-urban part of the USA. Talent flourishes there where it is trusted and cherished!”
ABOUT
Alejandro Drago graduated with a DMA in Orchestral Conducting and Pedagogy from Southern Miss in 2008. He is a versatile musician who plays the violin, composes, conducts, manages artistic projects and teaches while serving as professor of music at the University of North Dakota. He has served as the Artistic Director for First International “Violino” Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia. Recently, he went under contract with Eurindia Edizioni, a publishing house based in Switzerland, for the publication of his original work and a commission for an oratorio in commemoration of the centennial of Astor Piazzolla’s birth.