Dexter Hidalgo is a clarinetist and music educator based in Eugene, Oregon. He earned his Master of Music in Performance from the University of Oregon, where he was named the SOMD Outstanding Graduate Performer in Woodwinds, and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Nevada, Reno. 

Dexter serves as the Second Clarinetist with the Reno Chamber Orchestra and has performed with ensembles such as the Eugene Symphony, Rogue Valley Symphony, and the Reno Philharmonic. He was also appointed as the 2024 Bass Clarinet Fellow for Orchestra Next and was named a winner of the 2024 Grande Ronde Symphony Concerto Competition. 

Dexter serves as the bass clarinetist for the nonesuch.reedquintet, an Oregon-based reed quintet dedicated to music education and new music. On their recent tour of Southeast Asia, Dexter presented masterclasses, lessons, and workshops at the Ho Chi Minh Conservatory of Music, Singapore Armed Forces National Youth Winds, Indonesia Institute of the Arts, and more. Through the nonesuch.reedquintet, Dexter has commissioned and premiered several new works for reed quintet by Pacific Northwest composers, bringing these compositions to international audiences. 

Dedicated to music education, Dexter maintains a private studio and regularly leads outreach initiatives that bring chamber music and music education to classrooms. His private students have earned positions in groups such as the Nevada All-State Bands, WCSD Honor Bands, and the Reno Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. His principal teachers include Dr. Wonkak Kim and Dr. Joshua Anderson.