Helen Leach Recordings

Born in Hawick, in the beautiful Scottish Borders, Helen enjoyed a rich and diverse musical upbringing, becoming Principal Clarinet with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland. Former Head Girl of Hawick High School, she studied at the Royal Northern College of Music; a Virtuosi Society Bursary enabled additional Clarinet study with Gervase de Peyer in Washington DC.

After graduating, Helen worked for a number of years as a Director of Worship in Manchester and has directed the music for live BBC broadcasts, including her own compositions and arrangements on Radio 4. Her Prelude for a Royal Swan was featured on Radio 3 Breakfast on the anniversary of the Accession to the Throne of the late Queen, and she has recently conducted and arranged music for BBC Songs of Praise in Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh.

Helen is delighted to have returned to her homeland with her husband, Simon Leach and their family, and is loving her new lifestyle in this scenic part of the world, teaching and devoting more time to composition.  Her music is published by United Music Publishing and has been performed recently in major venues such as St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York; Leeds Catholic Cathedral; St Gile’s Cathedral, Canongate Kirk and Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh; Laidlaw Music Centre, St Andrew’s; Caird Hall, Dundee; and RNCM, Manchester.

She has greatly enjoyed being Composer-in-Residence at Marchmont Estate, Berwickshire and is enormously grateful to the Marchmont Makers Foundation for generously enabling this recording, and to Mr Oliver Burge and Mr Henry Lakin of Marchmont Farms Limited for kindly allowing this recording to be made in the Music Room of Marchmont House.