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Alex Stobbs

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Alexander Brett Stobbs (born 30 January 1990), (Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England) is a British musician with cystic fibrosis who was the subject of the Channel 4 Cutting Edge documentary A Boy Called Alex[1] in 2008 and its sequel, Alex: A Passion for Life[2] in 2009, also broadcast on Channel 4.

Early life

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Following academic and musical studies at Stoke Brunswick, Stobbs joined the choir of King's College, Cambridge. During his tenure as a chorister, he participated in a recording of Bach's Magnificat with King's College for EMI. Notably, he would later return to conduct this same piece.

His earliest inspirations were the works of Walter de la Mare and the British novelist Jo Rowling.

Stobbs was then a music scholar at Eton College, where he conducted Johann Sebastian Bach's Magnificat in March 2007. He was a choral scholar at King's College, Cambridge, where he studied music. On 5 April 2009, he conducted Bach's St Matthew Passion at Cadogan Hall, London (with Rodolfus Choir and Southbank Sinfonia) in aid of others who have cystic fibrosis.

In September 2009, his book A Passion for Living was published, a diary of his life during his A-levels and his preparation for performing Bach's Matthew Passion in April 2009.

In July 2018, he won the Royal College of Music third prize in the Joan Chissell Schumann Prize for Piano [3]

His musical accomplishments are despite significant hearing loss arising from the medications involved in the treatment of his cystic fibrosis.

New therapy successful 2022

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At the end of 2022, he was saying that thanks to a new drug, not only was he looking forward to Christmas "like any other 32 year old", but also his musical career was back on track thanks to the drug.[4]

Documentaries

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The life-affirming story of some of his accomplishments despite fearsome challenges was featured in two television documentaries. Both were directed by Paddy Wivell, produced by Walker George Films, and broadcast on Channel 4.

The first, A Boy Called Alex,[5] followed Alex's determined and passionate attempt to conduct Bach's Magnificat while living with cystic fibrosis.[6] It was broadcast in 2008 and was nominated for a BAFTA in 2009.[7]

The second documentary, titled Alex: A Passion For Life, was broadcast in October 2009. It showed Stobbs' first year at King's College, Cambridge, as he prepared to conduct Bach's Matthew Passion with a full orchestra in the Cadogan Hall, always with the backdrop of his struggles with cystic fibrosis.[8][4]

He also appeared on the UK talk show Richard & Judy in January 2008, on which he performed Rachmaninov's Prelude in G sharp minor, Op. 32/12.

References

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  1. ^ "A Boy Called Alex - Channel 4". www.channel4.com. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009.
  2. ^ "Alex: A Passion for Life - Channel 4". www.channel4.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2009.
  3. ^ RCM 6 July 2018 Graduation Ceremony Programme
  4. ^ a b Stobbs, Alex (22 December 2022). "A wonder drug has given me back my musical career – and my life". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  5. ^ Stobbs, Alex (22 December 2022). "A wonder drug has given me back my musical career – and my life". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Archived item". Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
  7. ^ "Television Awards Winners in 2009 - Television - Awards - the BAFTA site". Archived from the original on 21 November 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  8. ^ "Alex: A Passion for Life". Archived from the original on 27 September 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
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