Symphony Choir of Cape Town

Alexander FokkensThe Symphony Choir is fortunate indeed to have Alexander Fokkens, one of Cape Town’s rising musical stars, as its Director. He communicates his own love of music, and the Choir has learned to respond to his interpretations in a way that makes for exciting and dynamic performances.

Alexander received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Double Bass from the University of Cape Town. As a student at UCT, he conducted, to critical acclaim, both the UCT Symphony Orchestra and UCT Opera studio.

After graduating from UCT, he moved to Fort Worth, TX where he completed a Masters Degree in Double Bass Performance and additional studies in Theory and Conducting at Texas Christian University. While at TCU he was appointed as an adjunct faculty member and served as assistant conductor for the orchestras, conducting the TCU Symphony on several occasions.

From 1999 - 2005 he served as Director of Orchestral Activities and conductor of the Aberdeen University / Civic Symphony in Aberdeen, SD. During the six years of his appointment, he built one of the strongest college orchestra programs in the region. He increased the size of the orchestra three - fold, adding a chamber orchestra to the orchestra program and collaborating on the creation of an opera season.

From 2001 - 2003 he served as the conductor for the Fargo Moorhead Area Youth Symphony in Fargo, ND. While in the USA, he was invited as a clinician, judge and guest conductor throughout the American Mid-West.

He has been a guest conductor to the Black Tie Ensemble, the JMI Orchestra, The Chamber Orchestra of South Africa, Cape Town Opera, the Grinnell ( IA ) Symphony Orchestra, the Greater Dallas Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, the Latien Weed 2003 South Dakota Honours Orchestra, the UCT Symphony Orchestra and Opera Studio and orchestra festivals in South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota and Kansas.

His conducting teachers include Omri Hadari, Gerard Korsten and German Gutierrez. He has participated in master classes with Henry Charles Smith, William LaRue Jones, Jorge Mester, Joann Falletta, Leslie B. Dunner and Ron Spiegelman.

In August 2006, he made his European conducting debut, conducting Joplin’s opera ‘ Treemonisha ’ in La Turbie, France.

Currently he works as a freelance conductor and double bass player based in Cape Town, South Africa, where he is the music director of the Symphony Choir of Cape Town and resident conductor of the Cape Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. He is married to Margaret Foxcroft, a pianist, and they have three children.