Dr. Alexandra Zacharella is Director of Bands and Professor of Music-Low Brass at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. At UAFS, Zacharella directs the Wind Ensemble, Lions Athletic Band, Brass Ensemble, Trombone Choir, and Low Brass Ensemble. Zacharella also teaches the low brass studio and advanced and private conducting. Zacharella is an active wind ensemble/low brass clinician and has presented clinics and masterclasses in the US and abroad. In 2022, Zacharella was awarded the Excellence to the University, to the Profession, and to the Community Faculty Service Award at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, and in 2018 was also awarded the Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities. Zacharella has presented at the 65th and 70th Annual Midwest Clinics and over 95 peer-reviewed presentations, papers, performances/recitals, lecture recitals and poster sessions on topics including, conducting and wind band repertoire, trombone, euphonium and tuba performance, women in music, brass pedagogy, and music education at the International Conferences of College Music Society, National and Regional CMS Conferences, the International Conductor’s Guild, the College Band Directors National Association Conference, International Trombone Festivals, International Women’s Brass Conferences, National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors Conferences, International Alliance for Music in Women Conference, Music by Women Festivals, College Band Directors National Association National and Southwestern Regional Conferences, South Central Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference, SliderAsia, Women Composers Festival of Hartford, She Festival and several state Music Educator’s Conferences and Arkansas Bandmasters.

The UAFS wind ensemble under Dr. Zacharella’s direction, has performed at three South-Central College Music Society Conferences, has conducted numerous world premieres, and has been involved in several commissioning projects for wind ensemble including recent works by Joseph Turrin, Katahj Copley, Michael Markowski, and Stephen Gryc. Zacharella holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California in trombone performance with minors in Wind and Orchestral Conducting, Music Education, and Jazz studies, a Master of Music degree in trombone performance from The University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from The University of Hartford, The Hartt School. Zacharella presently serves as the President of the South-Central Chapter of CMS, Awards Chair and Board Member of the International Conductors Guild, Advisory Board Member of the International Chapter of The College Music Society, the Arkansas CBDNA Commissioning Committee Chair and the CBDNA Small College Band Committee. Zacharella has previously served as treasurer, Vice President, and President-Elect of CMS-SC, has served on the CMS International Initiatives Committee, and was Past President and treasurer of the Arkansas Chapter of CBDNA. At the university level, Zacharella has served on over twenty-five college and university committees and is now serving as Chair of the UAFS Faculty Senate.

Zacharella serves as the artistic director and conductor of the collegiate-community based trombone ensemble Bordertown Bones who were invited to perform at the 2022 International Trombone Festival. The ensemble commissioned four new works for the trombone ensemble for ITF. During the summer, Zacharella is the artistic director and conductor for the UAFS Summer Music Band and Jazz & Rock Camp Programs. Zacharella is a Bach Artist and Warburton Signature Artist and maintains an active performance schedule on trombone and euphonium.