| Kristian Alexander |
| Conductor |
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Maestro
Kristian Alexander is the founding
Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, the
founding Music Director of the International Music Academy, and the founding
Artistic Director of Markham New Music Festival. In Canada, he has conducted Windsor
Symphony Orchestra, the Opéra de Montréal Orchestra, the Royal
Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra (Toronto), Oakville Chamber
Orchestra, Guelph Symphony Orchestra,
Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra, Vaughan Symphony Orchestra in
addition to the Internationale Bach-Collegium and Gächinger Kantorei (Stuttgart) and the “Mozarteum”
Symphony Orchestra (Sofia). Maestro
Alexander has worked with Gustav Meier, Marin Alsop, Helmuth Rilling, John
Morris Russell, Nurhan Arman, David Agler, and Nedialko Nedialkov. He has
recorded several live concerts for the International Bachakademie (Stuttgart),
the National Radio Broadcasting Company, and the National Television of
Bulgaria. He has been affiliated with Orchestras Canada, the American Federation
of Musicians, the American Symphony Orchestra League, the Conductors Guild,
Friends of Glenn Gould Society, International Music Biography Centre,
International Promotion of Arts, Interkulturelle
Gesellshaft, and the National Association for Handel Music. Maestro
Alexander has received warm accolades from many illustrious fellow conductors:
Nurhan Arman (Sinfonia Toronto) noted that “Mr. Alexander’s expressive
manner to conduct inspired the orchestra immensely”; Dr. Phillip Posey
(Liberty Symphony Orchestra) was “impressed with Mr. Alexander’s excellent
conducting technique and his keen sense of ensemble and balance”; Adil Mehta
(Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra) pointed out “Mr. Alexander’s unquestionable
musicianship”; Helmuth Rilling (Internationale Bach-Collegium) praised Mr.
Alexander’s “great enthusiasm” conducting the Gächinger
Kantorei and Bach-Collegium
Stuttgart; Nedialko Nedialkov (National Opera of Bulgaria) mentioned “the
‘Mozarteum’ symphony orchestra conducted by Mr. Kristian Alexander
demonstrated a profound sensitivity towards the Mozart style and
interpretation.” In
addition to a busy conducting career, Kristian Alexander has also been on board
of several Canadian and international educational institutions. In
2007, he was advisor and host of the Conductors Guild international workshop for
conductors with Jorma Panula and Raffi Armenian. In 2007 as well, his leadership
as a Chair of the Conductors Guild 2007 International Conference in Toronto has
received unparallel attention of the Canadian media. In 2006 he was invited to
New York City to moderate a highly acclaimed panel with conductors from the
Juilliard School, Pierre Monteux School for Conductors, and Eastman School of
Music. Since 2005, he has
taught conducting, advanced interpretation, analysis, harmony, and counterpoint
at the International Music Academy and since 2003, he has been a Principal
Examiner and Moderator at the International Baccalaureate Organization (London,
England). Earlier in his pedagogical career he has also taught languages and
interpretation at the Atelier lyrique de
l‘Opéra de Montréal, Music Psychology at the New Bulgarian University,
and instrumental music
at the Canadian Conservatory for Music and Arts, the International Bilingual
School (Toronto), Weldon Park Academy (London), and London French School. Maestro
Alexander is also the author of a few research papers and publications: “Le
Magnificat: trois lecture musicales. L’interprétation
de la symbolique et de la forme textuelle dans les Magnificat de H. Schütz, de
J. S. Bach et de W. A. Mozart” (Université de Montréal,
2005), “Utah Symphony and Utah Opera: a merger proposal “(University
of Toronto, 2004), and “Mozart’s Davide penitente KV 469: Philosophical,
aesthetics, formal, and conducting analysis” (National Academy of Music,
Sofia, 1994). He is also the author of two publications in
major scientific journals: “Typology of the form of the magnificat
compositions” (Institute of musicology of the Bulgarian Academy of
Sciences, Sofia, v. 1, 1997) and “Energetic interactions between music text
and sound: etude on philosophy of music” (Institute of philosophical
research of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, v. 3, 1996). In addition to his work
as a conductor, music director and artistic director, Maestro
Alexander has also been involved in the community as a consultant for various
arts management and governmental organisations, such as AMS Inc. (for the
Toronto Symphony Orchestra), the City Council of London, as well as the Boards
of Directors of the Conductors Guild, London Arts Council, the Southern Ontario
Music Chamber Institute, and the Kindred Spirits Orchestra. He speaks English,
French, Russian, and Bulgarian and has an extensive working knowledge of
Italian, German, Czech, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages. In addition to
master degrees in Conducting and Music History, he holds various degrees in
anthropology, psychology, theology, computer science, and arts management from
academies and universities in Toronto, Montreal, Stuttgart, Sofia, and Plovdiv.
He has been a recipient of several grants and awards from the Canada Arts
Council, London City Council, L’Université de Montréal, Internationale
Bachakademie (Stuttgart), the Mozarteum Internationale Stiftung (Salzburg), Open
Society Foundation (New York), and National Music Academy (Sofia). Home
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