LESLIE OLIVE

LESLIE OLIVE CONDUCTOR AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Leslie Olive has been the Choir’s Director of Music since January 2007, only the third in its history.

An experienced choral conductor and composer, he founded the English Arts Chorale, based in Reigate, over thirty years ago. He is Artistic Director of the Reigate Festival and has been involved in conducting both the London Opera Players and Opera Brava. He runs very successful choral workshops and gives private lessons in singing and piano. He has worked with choirs and singing groups at all levels from fully professional to complete beginners and of all ages from 7 to 70.

He is also an orchestral conductor and has conducted many nationally known orchestras including the Suffolk Philharmonia, the Royal Philharmonic, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the London Mozart Players at venues including The Barbican and the South Bank Centre, working with distinguished soloists both vocal and instrumental. He was for four years a musical director for BBC Radio, composing, arranging and directing recordings and broadcasts including The Daily Service and Sunday Half Hour. Recently he has become known for his determined effort as the founding conductor of the new Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra, which gave its first concert in St Edmundsbury Cathedral on May 23rd 2012 to wide acclaim. Several of our choir members are also involved with the Suffolk Philharmonic and information about their work can be found by clicking here.

As well as conducting the Eye Bach Choir he is Artistic director of The English Arts Chorale and the Reigate Summer Festival, and formerly Conductor of Stowmarket Chorale and Head of Music at Colchester Royal Grammar School.

We are indebted to him for his patient and encouraging direction and pursuit of excellence from us which has led us to produce music of a very high standard. Rehearsals with him are inspiring, amusing and uplifting.

For more information about Leslie Olive you might like to have a look at his own website