Charles Alexander Joel (born 1971 in London, England) is a British pianist and conductor.

Career

Joel began his conducting career in Nuremberg, followed by positions at Baden bei Wien, Klagenfurt and the Vienna Volksoper. From 2001 he held the position of musical director at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein

He has served as guest conductor for numerous orchestras in Europe and elsewhere, including the Bavarian State Opera, the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, the MDR Symphony Orchestra, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and the Hamburg State Opera (Hamburgische Staatsoper). Outside Germany, Joel has conducted at the Teatro Reggio in Parma, Italy, the Finnish National Opera, Helsinki, Municipal Theater of Santiago, Chile, and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris, among others.

From the 2007/2008 to the 2013/14 season Alexander Joel was the musical director (Generalmusikdirektor) of Staatstheater Braunschweig and principal conductor of Staatsorchester Braunschweig, succeeding Jonas Alber, who had led the orchestra since 1997.

Personal life

Joel is the grandson of Karl Amson Joel and the half brother of singer/songwriter Billy Joel. His parents were Audrey and Howard Joel.