Career
He was a euphonium virtuoso who joined the circus band of Belford"s Carnival at the age of 18. At 20, he became arranger and euphonium soloist with the Barnum & Bailey Circus Band and toured Europe from 1897 to 1902. Although his compositional output was relatively small, he is considered a great composer of marches.
He wrote 33 marches, 6 galops, and several overtures, novelties, and other works.
On July 20, 2015, a memorial plaque honoring Alexander was unveiled on the Main Street Stage in Liberty, New York, just a short distance from the Old Town Cemetery in which Alexander is buried. The ceremony included a performance of seven Alexander works, and the event was sponsored by Windjammers, Unlimited.