French-born Alexandre Bloch assumed the position of Music Director of Orchestre National de Lille at the start of the 2016-17 season. From 2015–2021 he was also Principal Guest Conductor of the Dusseldorf Symphony. Recent highlights include debuts with the Bavarian State Opera, Bern Symphony, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and his acclaimed debut for Opéra de Lyon conducting George Benjamin’s Lessons in Love and Violence. Earlier seasons have taken him to Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestra of the National Centre for Performing Arts Beijing, Vancouver Symphony, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and a tour to Kuwait with the London Symphony Orchestra. Past symphonic guest conducting has also included the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre National d’Ile-de-France, Orchestre National de Lyon, Orchestre National de France, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic, Danish National Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic. He has conducted opera in concert with Orchestre National de Lille, including Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Bernstein’s Mass and Carmen. Opera highlights also include Donizetti’s l’Elisir d’Amore at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and Puccini’s Tosca at Opéra de Lille. His First Prize at the 2012 Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition attracted international attention and brought him the opportunity to serve as Assistant Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Shortly after this success he made his debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, replacing Mariss Jansons at short notice. He was named one of “2012’s Talents” by the ADAMI and was a conducting fellow at the 2012 and 2013 Tanglewood Music Center Festival. He also drew the attention of conductors such as Mariss Jansons, Charles Dutoit, Pierre Boulez, Bernard Haitink, Sir Mark Elder and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Born in 1985, Alexandre Bloch first graduated with diplomas in cello performance, harmony and conducting from Tours, Orléans and Lille. He then entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, to further his studies in composition and conducting. In 2012, he completed his Master’s Degree in Conducting in the studio of Zsolt Nagy, prior to gaining a Diploma and the Sir John Zochonis Junior Fellowship at the Royal Northern College of Music.