Alexander Kok

Both parents were accomplished musically: his father, Schalk Willem Kok, had a fine baritone voice and his mother, Johanna Petronella Vorster, was adept on the violin and piano, accompanying silent films at the local cinema.

[1][2][3][4][5] After the family emigrated to England in 1938, Kok attended Haberdashers' Boys' School, displaying his prowess in rugby and boxing, before winning a scholarship in cello at the Royal Academy of Music in London, following in the same steps as his violinist brother Felix.

[6] Wartime classical music activities of ENSA were organised by Walter Legge, overseen by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson; as part of the war effort, both Kok and his violinist brother played in the Boyd Neel Orchestra.

His film credits include William Walton's incidental music for Olivier's trilogy Henry V, Hamlet and Richard III, as well as The Desert Rats, Lawrence of Arabia, Battle of Britain, Monty Python's Life of Brian and Time Bandits.

As a backing musician, he recorded with many pop music stars, including Tony Bennett, Eric Clapton, Elton John and notably The Beatles – he was a particular favourite of their producer George Martin.