Alexander Besa was born in 1971 into a family of Italian-Czech musicians. He studied at the Brno Conservatory in the Czech Republic, at the International Menuhin Music Academy in Gstaad and at the Music Academy in Basel, winning several viola and chamber music competitions.

As a soloist and chamber musician, he has given concerts and recitals in most European and American countries, in Hong Kong and Japan. In summer 2008 he was Artist in Residence at the Murten Classics Festival. Numerous radio and CD recordings illustrate his musical versatility.

Alexander Besa was a member of the Serenade String Trio, the Merel Quartet and principal violist of Camerata Bern. He has been principal violist of the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester since 1996 and plays regularly in Cappella Andrea Barca with Sir András Schiff. Since 2014 he has been a member of the artistic commission of the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester.