Dr Peter Leech

Biography

I have held the following posts as Musical Director (MD) or Guest Musical Director (GMD)

Costanzi Consort (2017-present) MD

City of Bath Bach Choir (2016) GMD

Cardiff University Chamber Choir (2016-present) MD

St Catharijne Cantorei, Brielle (2015-present) GMD

Coro di Teatro Comunale, Bologna (2010) GMD

Harmonia Sacra (2009-present), MD

Cappella Fede (2008-present), MD

Aylesbury Choral Society (2004-2014) MD

Eszterhazy Chamber Choir and Orchestra (2002) GMD

Coro Euridice, Bologna (2005 and 2010), GMD

Bristol Philharmonic Orchestra (2005) GMD

Royal Scottish National Orchestra Chorus (2002-3) GMD

City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong (2002) GMD

Chandos Chamber Choir, London (2002-2004) MD

Frideswide Ensemble of Oxford (1999-2009) GMD

Bristol Bach Choir (1999-2008) MD

City of Oxford Choir (1998-2005) MD

Cathedral Singers of Christ Church, Oxford (1997-1999) MD

The Song Company (1996) GMD

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (1994) GMD

The Tudor Choristers, Melbourne (1994-95) MD

St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide (1994-1995) MD

Adelaide University Choral Society (1994-1995) MD

New Holland Baroque Chamber Orchestra (1993-1995) MD

The Handel Bande, Melbourne (1992) MD

Ensemble Eszterhaza, Melbourne (1990-1995) MD

Libra Contemporary Ensemble (1991-1993) MD

Melbourne Conservatorium of Music Symphony Orchestra (1991) GMD

Melbourne Youth Orchestra (1991-1992) GMD

Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra (1991) Assistant MD

Geminiani Chamber Orchestra (1991) GMD

Australian Girls Choir (1988-89) MD

Adelaide University Chamber Orchestra (1988) GMD

Flinders University Choral Society (1986) MD

Academic positions

• Honorary Research Fellow, School of Arts & Humanities, Swansea University (2008-14)
• Tutor at City Literary Institute, London (2000-02)
• Lecturer in Musicology at Colchester Institute (1996-99)

Speaking engagements

• Benedictus UK (2015)
• Renaissance Society of America (New York, 2014)
• Utrecht Early Music Festival (2013)
• York Early Music Festival (2008)

Publications

• Date
• Type
• Selected

Teaching

I teach at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels, taking first year classes in Repertoire Studies, second year classes in Performance Practice and Organology (The Long Eighteenth Century c.1700-c.1830), third year classes in Performance Practice and Organology (The Long Seventeenth Century c.1550-c.1700), as well as the supervision of Masters students undertaking the dissertation component of the MA course.

My Year 2 and Year 3 Performance Practice classes cover important musical treatises published from c.1550 through to the early nineteenth century, with many specific case studies dealing with aspects of musical ornamentation, expression, source studies, interpretation and understanding original music prints and manuscripts and critical thinking. 

Where possible I incorporate as many aspects of the academic curriculum as possible into my performing activity with Cardiff University Chamber Choir (since 2016) and the Baroque Ensemble (since 2021).

I have also been involved with Advanced Performance Forum (to 2020), Performance Classes (to the present) and seminar aspects of the taught MA courses.

In 2018 and 2019 my Masters Dissertation students (working on C17 solo violin music of Giuseppe Colombi, and the tragedie lyrique of Andre Campra, respectively) achieved high distinctions and were recommended for continuing their research at PhD level.

Since 2018 three of my former undergraduate students have gone on from Cardiff University to achieve high distinctions in MA studies at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

My core research has dealt with vocal and instrumental music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with specific areas including music and musicians in the British Royal Catholic chapels 1660-1714, music and musicians in the British Jesuit diaspora 1580-1773, late 17th century instrumental and vocal music in England, 18th century choral and instrumental music in Rome associated with the court and household of Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart (1725-1807) and eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Russian Orthodox choral music.

Select recent specific research topics (many yielding publications and recordings) have included:

- Vocal and instrumental music associated with the court of Queen Catherine of Braganza

- Vocal and instrumental music associated with the court of King James II, in England and in exile at Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

- Sacred music in Rome composed and perfomed by hitherto forgotten composers Sebastiano Bolis (c.1750-1804), Giovanni Battista Costanzi (1704-1778) and others for the churches and chapels under the direct auspices of Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart.

- Music associated with the British and Irish Jesuit diaspora, including the rediscovery of instrumental and vocal works with definitive Jesuit provenance.

- The sacred music of Maria Rosa Coccia (1759-1833)

- Women composers in sacred music post-1700

Supervision

Since 2016 I have supervised several MA student dissertations, with topics ranging from French baroque opera through to late-seventeenth-century Italian instrumental music.

In 2022 I commenced supervision of a PhD undertaken by the professional recorder player James Brookmyre, which will focus intensively upon the instrumental music of the Stuart Court-in-Exile at Saint-Germain-en-Laye from 1688-1718.

Past projects