Alexander Ponet is a Belgian percussionist born in 1988 who completed bachelor’s and master’s studies in percussion performance at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp (also studying piano there) before earning a master’s degree with distinction in timpani and orchestral playing at the Zurich University of the Arts in 2014. He subsequently worked as a section and principal timpanist with orchestras including Zurich Opera House, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, the Seoul Philharmonic, and as principal timpanist of the Macao Orchestra (2016-2018).

In 2018 Ponet completed an Executive Master in Arts Administration at the University of Zurich and now works in the artistic operations office of the Zürcher Kammerorchester, where he has also appeared as a guest artist, including on a recording of Kurt Weill’s ‘September Song’ with violinist Daniel Hope. His profile is primarily that of an orchestral musician turned arts administrator rather than a solo touring performer.