Dr. Manny Alvarez, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, earned a bachelor degree from the EastmanSchool of Music and holds master and doctoral degrees from State University of New York atBuffalo. Prior to his college teaching career, he taught in the Kenmore, Sweet Home and Grand Island, New York public schools.

Dr. Alvarez performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Brass Quintet, and was a freelance musician in classical and commercial venues. He recorded for the CBS, Mercury and Turnabout record labels.

Manny Alvarez was appointed to the music education faculty of the Hartt School of Music andserved as the music director of the Hartt Symphony Orchestra, Opera Theater, and Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Performances included concerts for the Beethoven Society at Lincoln Center, the Presidential Honors Gala at the Kennedy Center, and numerous professional educational conferences. In addition to his position as associate dean for academic affairs, he also served as the music director of the Manchester Symphony and Chorale in Connecticut.

Dr. Alvarez came to the University of South Carolina School of Music in 1990 as Director andProfessor of Conducting. During his tenure, the new School of Music building was approved by the South Carolina Legislature. He founded the Friends of the School of Music and Winds of Change, a professional contemporary music ensemble. He also established a graduate degree program inOpera Studies. As an advocate of contemporary music, he conducted concerts for the residencies of composers John Harbison, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Gunther Schuller, and Henry Brant. Dr. Alvarez also conducted the world premieres of works composed by Edward Diemente, James Sellars, Gordon "Dick" Goodwin, and Teresa Kaptur.

Dr. Alvarez was the Associate Conductor of the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra and MusicDirector of the South Carolina Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, South Carolina Opera Theater, Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra in North Carolina, Charleston Civic Orchestra, and was a frequent guest conductor of the Charleston Symphony. International credits include conducting engagements with leading South American and Canadian orchestras.

Manny Alvarez's _collaborations with_ celebrated. performing artists include Yehudi Menuhin, Awadagin Pratt, Robert Levin, Lee Luvisi, Gary Karr, Esther Hinds, Eugene Drucker and MishaKeylin. Since 1995 Dr. Alvarez has been a faculty member of the South Carolina Conductor's Institute, serving as a mentor to over one hundred aspiring conductors.

Dr. Alvarez retired from the University of South Carolina in 2000.