British pianist, Phillip Leslie was awarded the Silver Medal Keyboard Award for his studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (formerly Trinity College of Music) having graduated with First Class Honours. Having started piano at the age of seven with Veronica Jones in Cornwall, he moved to London to study with Alexander Ardakov and then Margaret Fingerhut. He currently studies with Philip Fowke. Phillip is a Arthur Haynes and Helen Roll scholar.
In 2014 he performed Carmina Burana with the Trinity Laban Chorus, and Rhapsody in Blue with Maidstone Wind Symphony. He has also appeared with Trinity Laban Wind Orchestra and Cornwall Youth Wind Orchestra. Last year he gave three performances of Peter Copley’s Concerto for piano and string orchestra with Brighton Youth Orchestra String Ensemble, which is dedicated to his former tutor, Margaret Fingerhut. He was invited back this year to play Bach’s D minor Keyboard Concerto. Phillip has been recognised in the press for his performances and was recently interviewed on BBC Radio Cornwall.
Interested in the wider repertoire, Phillip in a keen advocate for British music including music by Kenneth Leighton and John Ireland. Some of the venues he has performed in St Martin in the Fields, Blackheath Halls, Carnglaze Caverns, Old Royal Naval Chapel, Pamoja Hall and St James's Piccadilly. During his musical education he has played to distinguished artists such as, Boris Petruchansky, Pascal Roge, Ashley Wass and Ivan Klansky. He has worked with conductors, Andrew Sherwood and Dominic Peckham. Phillip has also studied organ with Ann-Elise Smoot and harpsichord with Steven Devine. He was a Concordia Foundation artist in 2017.
He performs with soprano, Rebekah Smith with whom he was a finalist in the Elisabeth Schumann Lieder Duo Competition. He was a finalist at the John Longmire Piano Competition, European Piano Teachers Association Piano Competition, where he won the Angela Rinsler Award, and a semi-finalist in the Jacques Samuel's Intercollegiate Piano Competition. Phillip currently teaches on the piano faculty at Blackheath Conservatoire. Most recently he has performed for the St Clement Danes, Young Artist Series.
Future engagements include performances for the Edinburgh Society of Musicians, Steinway Hall and Erin Arts Centre (Isle of Man).
Phillip would like to thank the Helen Roll Charity for supporting his studies.
Free recital (retiring collection)