Jonathan
Leonard began
his musical training in Bristol where he was Organ Scholar at the Cathedral.
While there at the age of 15 he also directed a 40-strong choir of boys and men
in a local parish church. When he was 17 he was awarded the Licentiate of the
Guildhall School of Music for Organ Performance.
He studied music at Durham University specialising in baroque performance practice and early 20th century opera. He was Organ Scholar of University College, conducted the University Chamber choir and occasionally played french horn in chamber ensembles. During his time at Durham he gained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists having won the Sawyer, Durrant and Samuel Baker prizes for ARCO.
As a recitalist he performed in Cathedrals throughout the country, broadcast for the BBC and performed regularly as a continuo player.
For 13 years he taught music, including Ampleforth College where he was Director of the Abbey Choir � the Schola Cantorum. He had a broad range of teaching experience from producing Britten operas with junior choirs to conducting most of the major choral repertoire with school Choral Societies. He even found time to learn the double bass.
In 2000, he was appointed Director of Music at St Luke�s Church, Chelsea where he was instrumental in expanding the repertoire and activities of the choir and established a prestigious concert series. He was much in demand as a choral director and conducted 4 other choirs. He took choirs to most European countries and made several well-received recordings.
His main hobby was cookery and he held a Cordon Bleu cookery diploma.
Jonathan died on June 1st 2010 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
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