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Alexandra McArthur is a Buffalo, New York-based vocalist, composer, educator, and creative collaborator whose work spans jazz, classical and choral music, musical theatre, pop, rock, and original music. Recognized for her distinctive, soulful voice and deeply personal approach to musical storytelling, Alexandra brings an unmistakable interpretive voice to every style she inhabits. Through her phrasing, emotional depth, and attention to the story within a song, she draws audiences into the music, often leaving listeners moved, reflective, and connected to something of their own.

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A four-time JazzBuffalo Poll Female Vocalist of the Year (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023), Alexandra has performed throughout Western New York at concert halls, festivals, theatres, and cultural institutions. Her work includes collaborations with the Buffalo Jazz Collective, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's Education Program, and local rock band Grosh. She has opened for Grammy-winning vocalist Gregory Porter at Kleinhans Music Hall alongside guitarist Bob Sneider, and portrayed Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill in both 2023 and 2026. She has been a member of Vocalis Chamber Choir and the Toronto-based Nathaniel Dett Chorale since 2018.

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Alongside her performance career, Alexandra is an active music educator, teaching artist, composer, and arranger. She directs the freshman choir at Cardinal O'Hara High School and serves as Alto Section Leader and Assistant Conductor at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo. Through the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's Education Program, she works as a vocalist and concert host, bringing live music and performance experiences to students and audiences throughout the region. Her creative work also includes composing and arranging original music, including a 2025 commission from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo.

Program/Promo Biography

Full Artistic Biography

Alexandra McArthur is a Buffalo, New York-based vocalist, composer, educator, and creative collaborator whose work spans jazz, classical and choral music, musical theatre, pop, rock, folk, and original music. Known for her distinctive, rich and soulful voice, expressive range, and deeply personal approach to storytelling, she brings a strong interpretive sensibility to each musical setting. Through her phrasing, attention to detail, and emotional connection to a song, she draws audiences into its story, often leaving listeners moved and reflecting on something of their own.

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Alexandra's relationship with music has been shaped by a lifelong exposure to a wide range of sounds, traditions, and cultural influences. Growing up in a musically rich household, she was surrounded by jazz, rock, classical music, soul, gospel, spirituals, Motown, blues, and pop. Her multicultural roots have further informed her interest in the histories, traditions, and lived experiences behind the music she loves. She is particularly drawn to the stories carried through music and the ways different traditions reflect the people and communities from which they emerge.

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Over the past decade, Alexandra has cultivated a wide-ranging career throughout Western New York, building lasting relationships with musicians, composers, conductors, educators, and arts organizations. A four-time JazzBuffalo Poll Female Vocalist of the Year (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023), she has performed at concert halls, festivals, theatres, and cultural institutions throughout the region. Her work has included opening for Gregory Porter at Kleinhans Music Hall with guitarist Bob Sneider; performing as a backing vocalist for Josh Groban with Vocalis Chamber Choir; portraying Billie Holiday alongside Grammy Award-winning pianist and longtime artistic collaborator George Caldwell in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill with MusicalFare Theatre; and collaborating with legendary saxophonist Bobby Militello and drummer, composer, and educator Dr. John Bacon over many years.

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Alexandra is a longtime collaborator with the Buffalo Jazz Collective and Historic Colored Musicians Club & Jazz Museum, a featured vocalist and concert host with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's Education Program, and a member of Vocalis Chamber Choir and the Toronto-based Nathaniel Dett Chorale, which she has been part of since 2018. Her choral work has become an increasingly important part of her artistic practice, connecting her with a range of repertoire, musical traditions, and experiences of collective music-making.

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As a composer and arranger, Alexandra creates original music drawing from jazz, choral and classical traditions, folk music, pop, and theatrical storytelling. She regularly performs her original work with her jazz quartet and alongside longtime collaborators and musical colleagues, often writing with specific musicians and ensembles in mind. Her compositions reflect her broad musical influences while making room for the individual voices of the artists who bring them to life. In 2025, she composed and arranged original music and hymns commissioned by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, with Jessie Downs and Caroline Mallonee serving as mentors throughout the process.

Alongside her performance and creative work, Alexandra is an active music educator and teaching artist. She studied musical theatre and classical vocal performance at the University at Buffalo and currently directs the freshman choir at Cardinal O'Hara High School. She also serves as Alto Section Leader and Assistant Conductor at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo. Through her work in schools, community settings, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's Education Program, she brings her experience across musical styles and disciplines into educational spaces, helping students develop their voices, musicianship, and confidence as performers.

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Beyond her work on the concert stage, Alexandra has performed at more than 200 private events throughout her career, including weddings, corporate functions, and celebrations. She works with clients to curate musical programming, coordinate musicians, and shape the live music experience for each occasion, drawing on her experience as both a performer and event producer. She is also a trained yoga teacher, with an ongoing interest in the relationship between music, spirituality, embodiment, and mindfulness.

Promotional Photos
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