Dr Peter Leech
B.A. B.Mus. Grad.Dip.Mus.(Conducting). Ph.D
Lecturer
- leechp@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2087 4375
- 1.04, 35 Corbett Road
Overview
I am a professional choral and orchestral conductor (First Prize winner at the 2003 Mariele Ventre International Competition for Choral Conductors), lecturer, musicologist, composer, singer and keyboard player. I am a specialist in English court instrumental and vocal music (1600-1750), music in the British Jesuit and broader European Catholic diaspora (1600-1800) and European sacred music (1550-1800) as well as sacred music in Rome associated with the court of Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart (1725-1807) and sacred music at the Imperial Russian court from c.1700-1900.
I have published substantial articles and reviews in Early Music (OUP), Music & Letters (OUP), The Consort (Dolmetsch Foundation), Eighteenth-century music (CUP), Tijdschrift van de Koninklijke Vereniging voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis (KVNM), Archivum Historicum Societatis Iesu (IHSI, Rome), Journal of Jesuit Studies (Brill) and the Newsletter of the Society For Eighteenth-Century Music (USA).
As a conductor I have recorded for the Nimbus Alliance, Tall Poppies and Toccata Classics labels. I am conductor of the Cardiff University Chamber Choir, as well as Cappella Fede, Harmonia Sacra and Costanzi Consort. With Harmonia Sacra I have released CDs of historical choral music, one of which - Cherubim & Seraphim - includes music from the court of Catherine the Great through to to Nicholas II, and another - Princely Splendour - which features music by the greatly neglected Roman composers Sebastiano Bolis, Giovanni Battista Costanzi, maestri to Cardinal Henry Stuart.
With Cappella Fede I released a ground-breaking new CD in 2016, The Cardinal King (featuring first recordings of rediscovered eighteenth-century Roman sacred music by Sebastiano Bolis, Giovanni Battista Costanzi and others), to widespread critical acclaim. BBC Radio 3 Record Review (January 2017) described it as 'a moving disc' with 'consort singing second to none' (Elin Manahan-Thomas and Andrew McGregor). My future projects will include a detailed study of eighteenth-century sacred music at San Lorenzo in Damaso (Rome), further research on British seventeenth and early eighteenth-century Jesuit musicians and a cultural biography of Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart (1725-1807).
Harmonia Sacra released a new CD in 2017 - Lux memoriaque - featuring first recordings of music by British Composers, including several of my latest choral compositions.
On 20 July 2018 my choral setting of Adam lay ybounden was premiered at St Paul's, Knightsbridge, London, by the BBC Singers conducted by Peter Foggitt.
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
2020
- Leech, P. 2020. Gaudeamus omnes: Catholic liturgical music for St Thomas Becket in the British Isles, continental Europe and the venerable English college, Rome, c.1170-2020. In: Whitehead, M. ed. Memory, Martyrs, and Mission: Essays to Commemorate the 850th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of St Thomas Becket (c.1118-1170). Gangemi Editore, pp. 95-128.
2019
- Leech, P. 2019. Jean-Paul Montagnier, The Polyphonic Mass in France, 1600-1780: The Evidence of the Printed Choirbooks. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017 [Book Review]. H-France 19, pp. 1-5.
2016
- Leech, P. 2016. Richard Dering, Motets and Anthems, Ed.by Jonathan P. Wainwright. Music Britannica, 98 (Stainer & Bell), London, 2015.[Book Review]. Music and Letters 97(2), pp. 329-332. (10.1093/ml/gcw039)
- Leech, P. and Whitehead, M. 2016. Clamores omnino atque admirationes excitant: New light on music and musicians at St Omers English Jesuit College, 1658-1714. Tijdschrift van de Koninklijke Vereniging voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis LXVI(1), pp. 123-148.
- Leech, P. 2016. Prince, priest and patron: Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart and musical patronage in eighteenth-century Rome. Society for Eighteenth-century Music Newsletter 27, pp. 1, 11-12.
- Leech, P. 2016. The Cardinal King - Music for Henry Benedict Stuart in Rome, 1740-91. [CD]. 26 January 2021.
2015
- Leech, P. 2015. Princely splendour: Cardinal Henry Stuart and music patronage in 18th-century Rome. The Consort 71, pp. 51-73.
2011
- Leech, P. 2011. Music and musicians in the Catholic chapel of James II at Whitehall, 1686-1688. Early Music 39(3), pp. 379-400. (10.1093/em/car072)
- Leech, P. and Whitehead, M. 2011. 'In Paradise and among angels'. Music and musicians at St Omers English Jesuit College, 1593-1721. Tijdschrift van de Koninklijke Vereniging voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis 61(1-2), pp. 57-82.
- Leech, P. 2011. Richard Dering, Motets for One, Two or Three Voices and Basso Continuo [Book Review]. Music & Letters 92(2), pp. 282-285.
2010
- Leech, P. 2010. George Frideric Handel Parnasso in Festa [CD Review]. Eighteenth-Century Music 7(2), pp. 305-309. (10.1017/S1478570610000199)
2009
- Leech, P. 2009. Handel's legacy [Book Reviews]. Early Music 37(4), pp. 657-660. (10.1093/em/cap089)
- Leech, P. 2009. Recusant song?. Early Music 37(3), pp. 485-487. (10.1093/em/cap049)
2008
- Leech, P. ed. 2008. The Selosse Manuscript - Seventeenth Century Jesuit keyboard music. Launton: Edition HH.
2007
- Leech, P. 2007. Devotional music from Stuart England. Early Music 35(4), pp. 644-647. (10.1093/em/cam065)
- Leech, P. 2007. Music for an Academic Defense (Rome, 1617) [Music Review]. Archivum Historicum Societatis Iesu 76(151), pp. 174-177.
2006
- Leech, P. 2006. Regal Handel [Book Review]. Early Music 34(1), pp. 143-146.
2003
- Leech, P. 2003. Catholic musicians in Restoration London. Genealogists Magazine 27(9), pp. 391-397.
2001
- Leech, P. 2001. Musicians in the Catholic chapel of Catherine of Braganza, 1662-92. Early Music 29(4), pp. 570-587. (10.1093/earlyj/XXIX.4.570)
- Leech, P. 2001. Records of the Chapel Royal [Book Review]. Early Music 29(3), pp. 456-457.
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.
I am also involved with Advanced Performance Forum 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.
My core research has dealt with vocal and instrumental music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with 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 and eighteenth-century Russian Orthodox choral music.
Specific research topics (many yielding publications) have included vocal and instrumental associated with Queen Catherine of Braganza, King James II (in England and in exile), as well as sacred music asosciated with Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart (1725-1807) in Rome and sacred music performed for the Russian Tsars during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
