Focusing on composition and computer music, Jacob C. Alford García (Class of 2008) graduated from A&M with a B.A. in Music through the Department of Performance Studies. Working closely with professors Andrea Imhoff, Jeff Morris, Martin Regan, and Judith Hamera (who now teaches at Princeton University), Jacob credits his time in Aggieland with launching him on what has become an exciting and adventurous career.

After graduating from A&M, Jacob moved to China to study the guqin (a seven-string tabletop slide-zither.) He was awarded a four-year scholarship to pursue advanced studies in Beijing at the Central Conservatory of Music, where he studied under guqin master Zhao Xiaoxia. Jacob has performed solo recitals for guqin in both Beijing and Shanghai, and has been invited across China to share his guqin music. Beyond traditional works, he also performs his own compositions. Jacob previously held a lecturer position at the Central Conservatory of Music, teaching a doctoral course on American music and literature.

Jacob is currently a member of the distinguished faculty at the FaceArt Institute of Music in Shanghai, where he teaches composition and theory. In conjunction with Jill Zheng and jazz pianist Chad Higgenbottom, he also recently launched a new tri-annual, six-week workshop bringing artists from different disciplines together to produce a sound-art concert of six collaboratively composed works. Jacob recently talked with Associate Department Head Daniel Humphrey via Zoom about his time in the Department of Performance Studies. Here are excerpts from that conversation, edited for brevity and clarity.

雅各布·C·阿爾福德·加西亞（Jacob C. Alford García，2008年畢業生）專注於作曲和電腦音樂，畢業於德州農工大學（A&M），獲得表演研究系音樂學士學位。在安德里亞·伊姆霍夫（Andrea Imhoff）、傑夫·莫里斯（Jeff Morris）、馬丁·裡根（Martin Regan）和朱迪思·哈梅拉（Judith Hamera，現任教於普林斯頓大學）等教授的指導下，雅各布認為在德州農工大學的時光為他開啟瞭如今精彩紛呈的職業生涯。

從德州農工大學畢業後，雅各前往中國學習古琴（一種七弦桌上型滑奏樂器）。他獲得了四年獎學金，前往北京中央音樂學院深造，師從古琴大師趙曉霞。雅各布曾在北京和上海舉辦古琴獨奏音樂會，並受邀在中國各地演出。除了演奏傳統曲目外，他還演奏自己的原創作品。雅各曾任中央音樂學院講師，教授美國音樂與文學博士課程。

目前，雅各是上海菲斯藝術音樂學院的傑出教師，教授作曲和音樂理論。他與鄭吉爾（Jill Zheng）和爵士鋼琴家查德·希根博頓（Chad Higgenbottom）合作，近期創辦了一個為期六週、每三年舉辦一次的全新工作坊，匯聚不同領域的藝術家，共同創作六首合作作品，打造一場聲音藝術音樂會。雅各最近透過Zoom與表演研究系副主任丹尼爾·漢弗萊（Daniel Humphrey）就其在該系的工作經歷進行了交流。以下是經過編輯，力求簡潔明了的對話片段。