Alois J. Hochstrasser gained his main impulses from his teachers and mentors Hans Gillesberger, Hans Swarovsky and Sergiu Celibidache. 

He is founder and director of several festivals, "music-weeks" and summer-academies, such as the International Orchestra-weeks Erl, Tirol (Today: „Tiroler Festspiele Erl“), which he directed until 1998. Additionally he founded the "Steirische Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde" and the Symphonic Orchestra Graz (today called „Recreation“). Moreover he founded the interpannon concert society in 1990 with the Pannonian Philharmonics, the Concertchorus Graz (since 1971) and the Concert-Youth-Chorus. In 2009 he founded the Styria Classic Academy in Graz. In cooperation with the Lions Club he conducted and lead the annual gala-concert at "Stiftskirche Vorau" for twenty-five years. Moreover he conducted the orchestra-concerts at the "Güssinger Kultursommer" for several years. 

Over the course of his career, he has conducted many orchestras in several countries over Europe, the USA and Southafrica, such as the Philharmonia Hungarica, Erfurter Philharmonie, National Youth Philharmonic South Africa, Lowten Philharmonic, Züricher Philharmonie, Staatskapelle Weimar, NÖ Tonkünstler Orchestra and many others.

Aditionally he directed many Video- , TV- , CD- and Radio-Productions, such as the first recordings of Franz Schmidts „Buch mit Sieben Siegeln“ and Hans Pfitzners „Das Dunkle Reich“ world-wide. Besides there are over 100 existing archive-recordings/ live-concert-recordings.

Since 1997 Hochstrasser operates as artistic director of the Classic-Festival „Sommerphilharmonie Leoben“ („What a wonderful Europe“) in upper Styria. Together with his ensemble (the Pannonian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Concert Chorus (Graz), the Concert-Youth-Chorus) and in cooperation with other important choirs of the pannonian region he presents an extensive musical program of symphonic and choir-symphonic concerts, Operas, Oratories and film-music of highest quality.

Thanks to Hochstrasser‘s artistical achievements he has been honoured with several prices: He was awarded the great „Ehrenkreuz“ 1st class for Art and Science by the President of the Federal Republic of Austria, and has been elected as an Honorary Member of „Franz Schmidt Gemeinde“ Vienna.
In 2001 he was awarded the golden „Ehrenzeichen“ of the state capital by the senate Graz; 2006 the head of provincial government Styria honored him with the great „Ehrenzeichen“ of the Land Styria. In 2009 he got the culture prize of the City Leoben.

In November 2011 the Maestro was honoured with the Great Golden „Ehrenzeichen“ of Land Styria by Landeshauptmann Franz Voves.