Alex van den Broek has studied under the tutelage of John Cousins, Chris Cree-Brown and Elaine Dobson. He has a Bachelor of Music from University of Canterbury (2004), and also studied at CPIT Jazz School majoring in Composition and Arranging. He is currently studying towards Honours in Composition at the University of Canterbury. Alex received his first professional premiere by 175East (2003) and has been awarded four compositional awards The Douglas Lilburn Prize (2003/2004); the Michael Toovey Memorial Prize (2003); The Madrigal Singers Prize (2004). He is also the recipient of two compositional grants from Creative New Zealand, the first in 2005 for which he composed a work for flute, oboe, clarinet and piano. His second was in 2008 for 'Still Standing Silent' a work composed for mixed discipline ensemble (Classical and Jazz) and contemporary dancer (Julia Milsom). This work was premiered in Christchuch in November 2009. Alex was the co-founder and musical director/conductor ('05-'09) of the Silencio Ensemble, a ten piece new-music ensemble. Alongside many concerts in the Canterbury region they colaborated with the Christchurch Art Gallery to perform 'Art and Socialism' ('08), and ‘Listen/Rita’ ('09). Alex also plays trumpet and keyboard in a variety of ensembles and bands, as well as working as a freelance composer, arranger and conductor for a broad cross-section of groups and ensembles covering a range of genre including choral, jazz and classical.
