Thomas Leech
Musical Director
Thomas Leech (Musical Director, BFCS) 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, leading one of the most innovative and successful choral programmes in the country, involving over 50 state schools and around 4500 children weekly, with its choirs broadcasting regularly on BBC radio and television, enjoying international competition and concert success and most recently being awarded a prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society award. As part of this programme he directs Bradford Catholic Girls’ Choir and Leeds Cathedral Girls’ Choir and leads weekly singing sessions in four primary schools across the Diocese.
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, 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 BBC One, 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. He was Artistic Director for the Association of British Choral Directors’ 2018 Annual Convention and his educational work has 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]
Christopher Pulleyn
Assistant Musical Director
Christopher Pulleyn, our accompanist and Assistant Musical Director, has worked with BFCS since 2010.
Chris is also resident accompanist for Greenhead College, Huddersfield, and regularly accompanies at Leeds College of Music, University of Huddersfield, and University of Hull.
Follow him on Twitter @kurisup