Kees Bakels

Kees Bakels (born 14 January 1945, in Amsterdam) is a Dutch conductor.

Bakels began his musical career as a violinist, and later studied conducting at the Amsterdam Conservatory and the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy.

He was principal guest conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for 10 years, and recorded symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams with the orchestra for the Naxos label.

Bakels initially had intended to step down from the MPO music directorship prior to 2005, after James Judd had been named the MPO's next music director in September 2003.

[2] Bakels continued to hold the MPO music directorship until Matthias Bamert officially took up the post in 2005.