PROGRAMME:
Missa de Gloria - Kenneth Leighton
3. Credo 4:52
6. Ite, missa est 12:45
Spiegel im Spiegel - Arvo Pärt 19:29
Poema - George Thalben-Ball 31:21
Toccata Beorma - George Thalben-Ball 38:02
Photos
used with permission of Mrs Jo Leighton
JP © Joseph Priestly
Thomas Leech enjoys a reputation as an outstanding and inspirational choral director and organist. Educated at Cambridge University, where he held the Organ Scholarship at Downing College, he is the Director of the Diocese of Leeds' internationally acclaimed Schools Singing Programme directing one of the most innovative and successful choral programmes in the country, involving over 50 schools and over 4500 children weekly, with its choirs broadcasting regularly on BBC radio and enjoying international competition and concert success. Tom combines this with his role as Musical Director of Bradford Festival Choral Society and frequent appearances as a guest conductor and workshop leader, with projects as diverse as Paco Peña's flamenco Requiem por la Tierra, Bach St John and St Matthew Passions, Britten War Requiem, Elgar Dream of Gerontius, Mahler Symphony 2, Symphony 8, Verdi Requiem, the choral soundtrack for the film London Fields, Leeds College of Music Chamber Choir and Gabrieli Consort and Players' youth choir programme, Gabrieli Roar. His numerous recording credits include the complete choral works of Duruflé and complete organ works of Arvo Pärt for Brilliant Classics and he has broadcast on BBC1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, Classic FM and Radio France. Solo recitals have included many of the major UK venues, including Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral and King's College, Cambridge. In 2018 he was the Artistic Director for the Association of British Choral Directors’ Annual Convention; his educational work has most recently been recognised by the Worshipful Company of Educators' Masters' Award.
For more information visit his website www.thomasleech.com and follow him on twitter @thomas_leech
'Leech's outstanding performance...these performances would meet with Pärt's unqualified approval' [gramophone]
'Leech steers his choir to extract as much as possible from Durufle's perfumed harmonic writing' [choir and organ]
Digital release of Tom’s new recording ‘Empyrean’ available soon on www.regent-rec...
Music Used:
The Happy Breed: IV. Brazil 99 www.amazon.co....
Méditation, Op. Posth. www.amazon.co....
Pipe Up! The Organ Podcast
Our weekly podcasts are hosted by David Pipe, Leeds International Organ Festival’s Artistic Director, who’ll be joined by guests to chat about the online Monday recital series. Guests will include some of the recitalists themselves, alongside composers, conductors and music journalists.
anchor.fm/leed...
Next week’s recital: Sean Montgomery
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