Leon Bosch - Conductor & Soloist/Director
Territories - General Management, Worldwide
“Raised under apartheid and persecuted by the authorities, Bosch rose to become one of the world’s greatest double-bassists”
Leon Bosch conducts chamber and symphonic ensembles around the world and is one of the few double bass players to direct concertos from the instrument.
Having worked with the finest conductors for 30 years as a member of groups such as the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Philharmonia and Hallé, he learnt the repertoire and conductor’s craft from inside the orchestra, and finally made the transition to the podium in 2015, when he left Academy of St Martin in the Fields and went to study in St Petersburg with Alexander Polishchuk. Since then he has conducted orchestras across the UK, Europe, India, South Africa and Mozambique.
During his playing career, he performed concertos around the world and served as a guest with ensembles such as the Lindsays, Brodsky Quartet and Zukerman Chamber Players.
“Leon Bosch is an extraordinarily accomplished musician. Well-known as a superlative bass player who was a member of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields for 20 years, he is now bringing his enormous musical experience to conducting and directing his own concerto performances. Although many players take to the podium from time to time, Leon is far ahead of his colleagues in the level of commitment he is making to the development to this new side of his music-making. With his insider’s knowledge of how an orchestra works he is building a set of skills that will allow him to articulate his musical ideas as a conductor with a clarity and power that few who make this transition achieve....””
“He is a musician of the highest calibre with a broad and deep musical knowledge and experience, and is highly respected around the world.”
Leon is committed to rediscovering neglected music, as well as expanding and diversifying the double bass repertoire, and has recorded 16 CDs of wide-ranging programmes, with more in planning.
He also commissions chamber arrangements of well-known symphonic classics for his ensemble I Musicanti, and set up I Musicanti Publishing in order to distribute these works.
(Ariane Todes)
“I have observed Leon’s conducting on several occasions, and with varied repertoire, and find him an excellent musician with an immense knowledge of repertoire and ensemble playing, given his several decades of experience with some of the finest ensembles, who can transmit his thoughts and intentions to the ensemble clearly and intelligently.”