Simon Leach Simon Leach graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in 1992 with the Alice Shawcross Organ Award. Whilst there, he appeared in master classes with Daniel Roth, Olivier Latry, Susan Landale and Jacques Van Ootmerssen. A RNCM travel bursary enabled Simon to travel to Paris to receive some coaching from world renowned organist and composer Naji Hakim. On his return to England he won 1st prize in the Prix Scabo keyboard competition with a performance of Hakim’s Embrace of Fire and was subsequently invited to perform the composers Hommage Á Igor Stravinski in the prestigious Principal’s concert.
After graduating Simon was appointed organ scholar at the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King where he accompanied the choir for services, concerts and on several European tours. Since leaving the Cathedral Simon has combined his work as a freelance performer with a busy private and school teaching schedule. He is on the instrumental teaching staff at St Mary’s Prep School Melrose and the ESMS schools in Edinburgh. He is a visiting organ teacher at Manchester University and a visiting tutor at Manchester University. Simon has performed on the piano, organ and harpsichord with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (including Austria and Germany tour), The Hallé, Manchester Camerata, Royal Northern Sinfonia, London Festival Orchestra and the Northern Chamber Orchestra (Including a solo performance of Kenneth Leighton’s Harpsichord and Recorder Concerto with John Turner). He has given solo organ recitals in many of Great Britain’s Cathedrals and Concert Halls including Westminster, Newcastle, Coventry, Manchester, Chester Cathedrals and the Reid Concert Hall, Edinburgh. He made his USA debut in 2010 at the Cathedral of St Patrick New York and has since returned to America to perform at the Church of St Thomas 5th Avenue and again at the Cathedral of St Patrick. In February 2017 Simon gave a hugely successful debut recital at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Broadcast experience has included playing the organ on ITVs Coronation Street, BBC Radio 3 and for several BBC Radio 4 live broadcasts of Sunday Worship. He gave the World Premier of Naji Hakim’s Toccata on the Introit for the Feast of the Epiphany at the Holy Name Church Manchester and the London Premier at Westminster Cathedral. His recording of Hakim’s music with Divine Art has received excellent reviews from both sides of the Atlantic.
Simon is the organist at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh and at Marchmont House in the Scottish Borders.
You can contact Simon directly by
email.