Conductor Alexander de Blaeij studied the violin at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam, studying with Else Krieg. He continued his education at the University of Mainz, studying with Denis Zsigmondy. He was appointed first violinist at the Arnhem Philharmonic (APO) in 2001.

As he showed talent in conducting an orchestra, honorary guest conductor Martin Sieghart invited De Blaeij to study with him in Graz in 2008, in order to further his talent. De Blaeij made his conducting debut in June 2008, leading the Arnhem Philharmonic in an educational project. In November 2010 he fronted the APO and the ‘Toonkunstkoor Arnhem’ by conducting ‘The Scream’, a protest against the then Governmental policies and cutbacks in the Arts at that time. De Blaeij made his debut as an opera conductor 2011 at the Kameroperahuis in Zwolle.

In 2012 De Blaeij continued to demonstrate his versatility by leading the Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra in a series of children’s concerts and conducted the orchestra’s annual Valentine’s Concert. Visitors were impressed with his interpretation of the ‘Vorspiel’ of Tristan and Isolde.

De Blaeij made his debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Januari 2016 in Amsterdam where he conducted a chamber ensemble in the AAA series of the orchestra. RCO asked Alexander to come back in may 2018 and conduct a program with Eva Maria Westbroek.

Alexander impressed the international jury panel at the prestigious Wiener Musik Seminar in July 2014. In the competition he conducted Bruckner with the Savaria Symphony Orchestra and won second price.

De Blaeij also experimented with new music and alternative forms of presentation. With the Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra, he made a number of groundbreaking productions. In Duisburg, Germany, they played at the Brachensiedlung Festifal and in collaboration with dance company Gif.t, he made Loveseat and The Cloud.

In 2012, 2013 and 2014, De Blaeij conducted projects at the Prins Claus conservarory in Groningen. In 2017 he conducted a project at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien in Hannover, Germany.