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Composer
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Alex is a first class graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying with Paul Whitmarsh, with extra tuition from James Weeks and Julian Anderson, during which time he won the Rose Lawrence Prize for his academic work and the Edmund Rubbra prize for composition. He will be continuing his studies with a Masters degree at the Royal Academy of Music with Gary Carpenter. Much of Alex’s work revolves around either his interest in science, poetic surrealism and contemporary theatre, with an emphasis on finding material to suit the purpose and instrumentation (and occasionally the opposite).
Alex has worked with a variety of ensembles, including EXAUDI Vocal Ensemble, London Contemporary Orchestra, City Chamber Choir, City Chamber Choir (as Composer-in-Association), Barbican Sinfonia, and soloists including Jonathan Powell, Aino Konkka and students from the Liszt Academy. In March 2017, Alex was one of 6 composers selected for Sound And Music's 'Next Wave 2' scheme, which highlights emerging talent from higher education, and will culminate in a piece for Royal Northern Sinfonia & soloist Quinta performed at Sage Gateshead and released on NMC Records. Most recently, Alex completed a mini-chamber opera for WorkshOpera and the London Transport Museum, which premiered in July 2017. Since 2014, Alex has had a particular interest in writing for Theatre, having worked as composer on a number of recent projects. In March 2015, Alex was composer and director for the multimedia instillation project “Khaos" which was generously supported by Barbican Creative Learning. This was followed by composition credits at the Barbican for the Wedekind play “Lulu" (dir. Christian Burgess) in November 2015 and "Go, Make You Ready” (dir. Patsy Rodenburg OBE & Sue Lefton) which toured to China and was featured on the BBC iPlayer as part of 'Shakespeare 400' in March 2016. |
Singer
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Alex is a tenor, with former Gold Medal winner and BBC singer Ian Kennedy, having also partaken in education and workshops with Mary Hammond, Loré Lixenberg and Claire Moore. Most recently he has had a number of roles in Operas, including Chorus for Vahan Salorian's chamber opera Boys Of Paradise (Tete-a-Tete Opera Festival), which was praised for it's "Thrilling, Sexy singing" (Schmopera). Other roles have included Alcindoro (cover) for La Boheme (Vivo D'arte, cond. Audrey Hyland), for which Alex was nominated for a "Best in Company" award, and Solo Baritone in Kagel's Staatstheatre (Milton Court Concert Hall). He has given many public recitals in London and is actively interested in contemporary music, as he has excellent sight-reading ability and perfect pitch. Alex is also a keen ensemble singer, with experience singing in large choruses at the Barbican Centre and Reading University. In 2017/2018, Alex will fulfill a choral scholarship post at St. Luke's Church in Chelsea.
Singing in musicals from the age of 15, Alex has been involved in a wealth of shows in a Musical Theatre and Jazz idiom. Roles have included Ensemble soloist (alongside assistant M.D.) for Sweeney Todd (Frogmore Paper Mill, 2016), Georg in Spring Awakening (Pleasance Theatre, 2014), Man 2 in Songs for A New World (Silk Street Theatre, 2014) and many others. Since 2014, Alex had been singer in residence with the Guildhall Pops Orchestra, and ran the Guildhall Musical Theatre Society - which has had many successful alumnus on the West End. |
Musician |
Alex also works as a multi-instrumentalist in London in a variety of roles. He has worked as a pianist & accompanist in London since 2013, including holding the accompanist post for the London Humanist Choir since august 2014, which has lead to performances at Conway Hall, Camden Roundhouse, Cadogan Hall & Sheldonian Theatre, alongside such personalities as Richard Dawkins, Laurence Krauss & Stewart Lee, and has been assistant conductor since 2015 as well as writing a number of in-house arrangements. In December 2015, Alex was pianist and Music director Sara Pascoe's Christmas Assembly, which received 4*'s in The Guardian. He has also been associated with Vivo D'Arte since 2016 on productions such as Sweeney Todd (assistant M.D./Chorus Master) and West Side Story (Keys 2). Alex has also worked as an accompanist for clients including the improv group Monkey Toast, PTP Academy and for soloists in and around London.
Alex has also worked as a bassist and guitarist for many years, often playing pit bands for shows including Merrily We Roll Along (Imperial SU, M.D. Ed Zanders) and Made In Dagenham (Tring Court Park Theatre, M.D. Samuel Wilson) and gigging in and around London. |
