Alexis Smerdon teaches in Orem, Utah and has been teaching students young and old for the past 8 years in the areas of low brass, music theory/ear training, and piano. She received a Bachelor of Music in trombone performance from Brigham Young University – Idaho in 2013. She received a Master of Music degree in trombone performance in 2015 and a second Master of Music degree in music theory with an emphasis in pedagogy in 2016 from the University of Tennessee.
Alexis currently maintains a private lessons music studio from her home. She teaches trombone sectionals at local high school and middle school band programs. She has had success with her private students, helping to do well in All-State competitions, State Solo Festival, drum core, A.P. Music Theory Exams, and auditions for college music programs and scholarships.
Alexis was a past Lecturer of Music Theory at the University of Tennessee. She has also been in demand for teaching group music theory classes and helps prepare students for music theory exams for competitions, A.P. classes, and college diagnostic testing.
In 2016-2018 Alexis, with a colleague, founded and co-directed an ensemble called the Knoxville Youth Trombone Choir. She is in the works to start a similar ensemble in Utah County for the 2019-2020 school year.
She has been the music chairman, choir director, organist, pianist, and active performer at her local LDS church.
To see her full resumé or curriculum vitae, click below.
Personal Life and Family
Before adult life, Alexis grew up in Northern California and enjoyed participating in sports, dance, musicals, band, and choir. In her Senior year of high school she joined the local community college pep band on the trombone. Little did she know the pep band was co-founded by her future husband, Eric, who plays the trumpet.
Alexis and Eric married during their time at BYU-Idaho. They moved to Knoxville so Alexis could attend the University of Tennessee for graduate school in music. They loved it so much in East Tennessee that they decided to stay after Alexis graduated for a few more years. In June 2018 they made the move to Orem, Utah to be closer to Alexis’ family.
They have a very active 2 year old, Tristan who loves to play on all of mommy’s instruments. Then they welcomed a new baby in January 2019 who is a social butterfly. They have two cat fur-babies, Mischief and Patrick. They are active in their church community and they enjoy their spare time playing board games with family and friends as well as Dungeons & Dragons. Alexis also enjoys reading or listening to self-improvement books about finances, relationships, and tidying, just to name a few. Alexis’ first passion is being a mommy and wife, followed closely by teaching music.
