He received an MMus from the Artez Conservatorium in Arnhem, Netherlands, studying free improvisation in the New Dutch Swing program with saxophonist and bass clarinetist Frank Gratkowski and double bassist Wilbert de Joode.

His other teachers have included Richard Hawkins, Kimberly Cole, Yaniv Nachum, Michael Lowenstern, David Krakauer, Ernesto Molinari, and Claudio Puntin.

Alder created a Max/MSP patch which allowed for adding effects to the bass clarinet, as well as rearranging the sections of the piece, as is specified by Ratcliffe in the score.

[6] He has worked with and/or premiered pieces from a number of composers, including Christian Wolff, Stefan Prins, Gabriel Prokofiev, André Douw, Francisco Castillo Trigueros, Andys Skordis, Thanos Chrysakis, Rodrigo Tascón, Yu Oda, and Thanasis Deligiannis.

In 2014 Alder toured with Idina Menzel and Rob Mounsey, and has played in other pop and rock bands such as The Lazlo Device, The Palumbo Phunk, Novack, Canvas Blanco, and RaskalBOMFukkerz.