Alexander Joel (conductor)

Alexander Joel (born 1971 in London ) is a British pianist and conductor.

Life and work

Alexander Joel comes from the second marriage of his father Helmut Joel with an Englishwoman. He is the grandson of Karl Amson Joel and half-brother of American singer- songwriter Billy Joel. Born in London, he grew up in Vienna, where he studied conducting, piano and composition.

His debut was in Joel Nuremberg. After several intermediate stations 2001 he was appointed Kapellmeister of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein.

As a guest Joel conducted, among others, at the Bavarian State Opera, the Semperoper Dresden, the MDR Symphony Orchestra, the Deutsches Symphonie -Orchester Berlin and at the Staatsoper in Hamburg. Outside Germany, he worked at the Vienna Volksoper, the Teatro Reggio in Parma, the Finnish National Opera, Teatro Municipal in Santiago de Chile, at the Théâtre des Champs- Elysees ( Paris ) and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Since the 2007/2008 season is Joel musical director of the Staatstheater Braunschweig and chief conductor of the State Orchestra Braunschweig. He succeeds Jonas Alber, who led the orchestra from 1997 until the end of the season 2006/2007.