From Saint Charles, Illinois, Alex Gagne is a first-year undergraduate student studying Horn Performance at the Eastman School of Music. Alongside their musical studies, Alex is pursuing a dual degree in Brain and Cognitive Sciences/Neuroscience at the University of Rochester, interested in how music can impact cognitive development and help people affected by neurodegenerative diseases and neurological conditions. Active in a wide range of Eastman’s ensembles, Alex can be heard performing with the Eastman Wind Orchestra, Eastman School Symphony Orchestra, Eastman Horn Choir, Eastman Brass Guild, their wind quintet, and their brass quintet. At Eastman, Alex studies under Peter Kurau.

Alex was recently named a winner of the 2025 Nico Toscano Young Musicians Competition hosted by the Cordancia Chamber Orchestra and will be performing as a soloist with the chamber orchestra in 2026. Additionally, before coming to Eastman, Alex performed as a member of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras for five years, including two seasons as the horn player of the Sterling Brass Quintet, whose performances around the Chicagoland area included a feature on Chicago’s classical radio station, WFMT, and a premiere of their own composition, Dreams. In addition to being a passionate musician, Alex is an avid lover of all things fantasy, from Tolkien’s Middle-earth and dragons to board games and legendary film scores.