Alphonse Stallaert (01/03/1920 - 15/12/1995), a Dutch composer. He was born in Helmond (The Netherlands) and died in Fréjus (France). He studied at the Utrecht Conservatory of Music composition with Hendrik Andriessen and conducting with Bertus van Lier. After his final exams he left for England, where he worked for some months with John Barbirolli, the conductor of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester. In 1946 he went to Paris, where he studied counterpoint for one year at the Conservatoire. He studied conducting with André Cluytens (1949-1951) and composition with Arthur Honegger. He formed a string orchestra with young French musicians, L'Orchestre à Cordes de Paris. He was conductor of several French orchestras (a.o. Lamoureux, Pasdeloup, Orchestre du Festival de Vichy, Orchestre Symphonique de Nice) and Dutch orchestras (Brabants Orkest, Overijssels Filharmonisch Orkest en Nederlands Kamerorkest).
His style of composition has its roots in the classical tradition, using a contemporary notation. Literary texts were often the starting point for his works, e.g. for his two operas: Myrdhinn (1958) and Elkévir (1962). Stallaert's first composition, Concert for piano en orkest, was performed at the 1951 Besançon Festival by the Orchestre National under Rafaël Kubelik, with Daniël Wayenberg as soloist. Sinfonia da Requiem has been performed on various occasions over the Paris radio. The Double Concerto for two pianos, strings and timpani had its first performance in 1963 over the French Television. He also composed music for ballet and French films.