"What an exciting ensemble, music cunningly articulated...every work delivered different colours and emotions"
Yorkshire Post
About usBIn 1999, prominent musicologist Peter Holman (director of the Parley of Instruments and Opera Restor'd) joined the School of Music at the University of Leeds as Professor of Historical Musicology. He at once set about the formation of a new regional Baroque orchestra performing on period instruments under his direction.
Since its inception, Leeds Baroque Orchestra has maintained strong links with the University of Leeds and the School of Music. In December 2015 the then Vice Chancellor of the University, Sir Alan Langlands, accepted an invitation to become their Honorary Patron. They have performed a wide range of music from the 17th and 18th centuries, including works by Purcell, Draghi, Telemann, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and many others. In 2005 Leeds Baroque Orchestra joined forces with Leeds University Baroque Choir to become simply Leeds Baroque. Since the merger, choral highlights have included the presentation of Biber's massive polychoral Missa Salisburgensis and Schutz's German Requiem. Performances have included a programme of Handel's ceremonial music and a specially commissioned work for Choir and Baroque orchestra by Christopher Roberts Leeds Baroque Choir & Orchestra (Registered Charity No. 1116610) have performed at the Universities of Leeds and Huddersfield; in Leeds and Bradford Cathedrals; at the National Centre for Early Music in York; in the Georgian Theatre in Richmond; in Salt's Mill in Saltaire; in Skipton; and at the Swaledale and Hexham Festivals. Over the years we have been joined by distinguished guest soloists including Philippa Hyde (soprano), James Laing (countertenor), Daniel Auchincloss (tenor/haute-contre), Crispian Steele-Perkins (trumpet) and Rachel Latham (flute). In 2020 students from Leeds University School of Music compiled a Documentary To celebrate our 20th Anniversary. |
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Peter Holman MBE (Musical Director)
Peter Holman is a conductor known particularly for his interpretations of post-Renaissance English music, but he has also received acclaim for his performances of the works of European masters of the Baroque period. He has recorded extensively for the English label Hyperion and has established parallel careers as a harpsichordist, organist, teacher and music journalist.
Peter’s first advanced music studies were at King's College, London, where his teachers included Thurston Dart. During his student years he formed the pioneering vocal ensemble Ars Nova.
Peter and Roy Goodman founded the Parley of Instruments in 1979. This ensemble has focused on the performance of Renaissance and Baroque consort music for strings and has made over 50 recordings for Hyperion. In 1985 he was appointed music director of Opera Restor'd, a newly established company devoted to historic performance practices in eighteenth century English masques and operas. He has also performed with the Hanover Band, the Orchestra of St. John's Smith Square, and other prominent English ensembles. He has written two books that have received much acclaim: Four and Twenty Fiddlers: The Violin at the English Court (1993) and Henry Purcell (1994).
Peter’s first advanced music studies were at King's College, London, where his teachers included Thurston Dart. During his student years he formed the pioneering vocal ensemble Ars Nova.
Peter and Roy Goodman founded the Parley of Instruments in 1979. This ensemble has focused on the performance of Renaissance and Baroque consort music for strings and has made over 50 recordings for Hyperion. In 1985 he was appointed music director of Opera Restor'd, a newly established company devoted to historic performance practices in eighteenth century English masques and operas. He has also performed with the Hanover Band, the Orchestra of St. John's Smith Square, and other prominent English ensembles. He has written two books that have received much acclaim: Four and Twenty Fiddlers: The Violin at the English Court (1993) and Henry Purcell (1994).
Clive McClelland (Chorus Master)
Clive McClelland is Principal Teaching Fellow in Music and Manager of the BA Music Programme at the University of Leeds. He is responsible for the delivery of courses in 18th-century music, opera, choral singing, analysis and harmony & counterpoint.
After graduating from Birmingham University in 1981, Clive was a schoolteacher for several years before taking up a position at Leeds University in 1994. He is very active as a choral director and performer, and has directed workshops in early vocal music for the North East Early Music Forum, at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and for the Cambridge Early Music Summer School.
After graduating from Birmingham University in 1981, Clive was a schoolteacher for several years before taking up a position at Leeds University in 1994. He is very active as a choral director and performer, and has directed workshops in early vocal music for the North East Early Music Forum, at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and for the Cambridge Early Music Summer School.
Judy Tarling (Leader)
Judy Tarling studied at both the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music in London. After a period playing in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Judy became interested in early music and its performance through playing the harpsichord and viol. After running her own chamber group Brighton Baroque for some years in the seventies, she became involved in the early Academy of Ancient Music recordings of the complete Mozart symphonies. In 1981 Judy was invited to join the Parley of Instruments which she has led since the 80s.
Judy was principal viola of The Hanover Band for 20 years and of the Brandenburg Consort and also leads the band of Opera Restor’d in performances and recordings. Judy has led the Cambridge Baroque Camerata for many years, both in concerts throughout the UK and France, and recordings. She has been a tutor for the European Union Baroque Orchestra, and lectured on Baroque style at Cambridge University, The Royal Academy of Music, The Royal College of Music, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Trinity College of Music, London and the Birmingham conservatoire. She is actively engaged in research into performance style and has written two very well received books: Baroque String Playing for ingenious learners and The Weapons of Rhetoric – a guide for musicians and performers.
Judy’s other main interest is Garden History. She has written about the garden of Constantijn Huygens near The Hague and is planning to write a book on garden rhetoric entitled ‘Gardens of Eloquence’.
Judy was principal viola of The Hanover Band for 20 years and of the Brandenburg Consort and also leads the band of Opera Restor’d in performances and recordings. Judy has led the Cambridge Baroque Camerata for many years, both in concerts throughout the UK and France, and recordings. She has been a tutor for the European Union Baroque Orchestra, and lectured on Baroque style at Cambridge University, The Royal Academy of Music, The Royal College of Music, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Trinity College of Music, London and the Birmingham conservatoire. She is actively engaged in research into performance style and has written two very well received books: Baroque String Playing for ingenious learners and The Weapons of Rhetoric – a guide for musicians and performers.
Judy’s other main interest is Garden History. She has written about the garden of Constantijn Huygens near The Hague and is planning to write a book on garden rhetoric entitled ‘Gardens of Eloquence’.