Simon Leach

Simon Leach graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in 1992 with the Alice Shawcross Organ Award. Whilst there, he won first prize in the Prix Scabo keyboard competition, performing Naji Hakim’s Embrace of Fire, and was invited to perform the same composer’s Hommage à Igor Stravinsky in the prestigious Principal’s concert. Earlier in the year Simon gave the World Premiere of Hakim’s Toccata on the feast of Epiphany and the first London performance at Westminster Cathedral.

Simon currently combines work as a freelance performer with a busy teaching schedule. He teaches at The Manchester Grammar School, Withington Girls’ School and St Bede’s College. Simon has performed on piano, organ and harpsichord with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, The Hallé Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, Northern Sinfonia, London Festival Orchestra and the Northern Chamber Orchestra. He has given organ recitals in Cathedrals and Concert Halls including Westminster, Newcastle, Coventry, Chester and the Reid Concert Hall, Edinburgh.

He frequently travels to New York to perform at venues including St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Church of St Thomas 5th Avenue. In February 2017 he was invited to represent Great Britain at the International Recital Series at Notre Dame Cathedral Paris, performing to an audience of 2000. He is also on the team of organists for the BBC Daily Service which is broadcast live on BBC Radio 4.

Simon is organist at the Holy Name Church, Manchester. He is Artistic Director of the International Organ Recital Series there and accompanies the choir for mass. In September 2018 Simon takes up a new post as Organist at St. Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Edinburgh.