As an accomplished performer, published researcher, and award-winning composer, Dr. Alex Wier brings a multifaceted expertise to his role as Assistant Professor and Percussion Area Head at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A strong advocate for new music, he has commissioned numerous works and is a composer specializing in live electronics, with his steel pan composition Intown winning an endowment composition prize. His diverse performance career includes appearances with the Milwaukee and Phoenix Symphony Orchestras as well as with renowned contemporary music groups like Fifth House Ensemble and Present Music. A former president of the Arizona PAS Chapter, Dr. Wier has published articles in Percussive Notes and presented his research at international conferences. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from Arizona State University and is an endorsed artist for Marimba One, Innovative Percussion, and Sabian.