Alexander performs on Show 470.

Alexander Vakov (oboe), 18, from Henderson, Nevada, is currently a senior at Coronado High School. Alex’s music education began at the age of four under the guidance of his mother, a piano teacher. He had the opportunity to pick up the oboe in seventh grade and is currently a student of Dr. Stephen Caplan, a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Alex’s mother continues to perform with Alex and has been his collaborative pianist throughout his journey with the oboe. He credits her as being his biggest musical role model and inspiration, encouraging him to push his limits.

Alex has been a member of the Las Vegas Young Artists Orchestra since 2022. He served as the principal oboist of the Nevada All-State Band in 2022 and 2025, and the Nevada All-State Orchestra in 2023 and 2024, where he received an award for exceptional musical ability. Alex was also recently selected as the winner of the Nevada All-State Command Performance in the Woodwind Solo Division. Another highlight in high school came in 2023 when Alex won 1st place in the Henderson Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition. This led to a performance with the orchestra in their 2022-2023 season.

Outside of music, Alex has a passion for baking and enjoys experimenting with new recipes to share with family and friends. A dedicated student, he is also involved in the Advanced Placement Executive Council and DECA, where he has won several state-level competitions. He is particularly excited by science and spent the summer of 2024 in a lab at Purdue University, conducting experiments with the enzymes of fungal crop pathogens. In the fall of 2025, Alex will begin his freshman year at Yale University, where he plans to study molecular biophysics & biochemistry alongside music.

Receiving the Award will allow Alexander to purchase an English horn and essential reed-making equipment. These tools will add strength and opportunity to his musical journey and will allow him to be more versatile in the music field.