Category: Presenter Biography

Tom enjoys a reputation as an outstanding and inspirational choral director and organist, with a passionate commitment to improving access to and equality of opportunity in choral music.  

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 70 schools and around 6500 children weekly. The programme’s choirs broadcast regularly on BBC radio and television, enjoy international competition and concert success and were awarded a prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society award for their work during lockdown. As part of this role Tom is a consultant for the National Schools Singing Programme, developing similar programmes across the UK’s Catholic dioceses. 

Tom combines this work 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 been recognised with the Worshipful Company of Educators’ Masters’ Award.  In 2022 he was shortlisted for Making Music’s best Musical Director award and alongside BFCS and BFC colleagues won Making Music’s Group Hero award. 

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 Duruflé’s perfumed harmonic writing’

Choir and Organ

Amy is a passionate advocate for choral singing and choral conductor training. She is sought-after for her dynamic and engaging teaching style, and her wealth of choral and pedagogical experience. Amy holds First Class Honours and Master’s Degrees in Piano Performance (UK), and a Doctoral Degree in Choral Conducting (USA). She is proud to hold the post of Director of Training for the Association of British Choral Directors.

Amy is a co-founder and creator of the London International Choral Conducting Competition (LICCC) and Wavelength, an organisation designed to celebrate, educate and nurture women in choral leadership. She has shared the art of choral leadership for the Leading Voices Festival (Utrecht), Norway University (Hamar), International Summer Schools in Sherborne (UK) and Limerick (Ireland), Queens’ College Cambridge, The Hallé Youth Choir, Military Wives Choral Directors and The Royal College of Organists.

Amy established her own national Choral Conducting Masterclass Series, and, as a result of the pandemic, created a successful online training course for international choral leaders called Choral Leadership and Pedagogy (CLP).

Amy has had the pleasure of adjudicating for the London International Choral Conducting Competition, the International Choral Festivals in Derry and Cork, Feis Ceoil (Dublin), Choir of the Year, Music for Youth National Festival and the Cheltenham Music Festival among many others. She also has choral works published by Banks Music Publications and Multitude of Voyces.

Amy is in great demand as a choral clinician, mentor and teacher, and is currently Musical Director for Harlequin Chamber Choir, Corra Sound, Nota Bene and Sempre Fidelis Singers. www.amybebbington.co.uk