Alec Frank-Gemmill

Alec Frank-Gemmill began playing the tenor horn at the age of six, before moving onto the French horn four years later, studying with Marcus Bates. After reading music at Robinson College, Cambridge, he completed a Masters degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he was taught by Hugh Seenan, Jeff Bryant and Richard Bissill.

During the 2007-8 Season Alec was an apprentice in the horn section of the Zürich Opera Orchestra and studied with Radovan Vlatković. A year later, he became Principal Horn of the Tiroler Symphonieorchester in Innsbruck, Austria. At the same time he began taking lessons with Marie-Luise Neunecker at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin. As well as playing Principal Horn with the European Union Youth Orchestra, Alec has worked with the English Chamber Orchestra, the Philharmonia and the Staatskapelle Dresden. He has been Principal Horn of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra since September 2009.

Besides orchestral work, Alec also enjoys playing chamber music and concertos. Forthcoming engagements include Strauss’s 2nd Concerto, as well as the first performances of two works by Jeremy Thurlow, especially written for his two trios (with violin & piano, and with tenor & piano). When not playing the horn, Alec likes to travel, read books and walk up mountains.

What is your most memorable concert? (either playing or listening)?

The Huelgas vocal ensemble performing works by Michelangelo Rossi in Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, Saintes, France (July 2008)