Leslie Ryan
Lives in Swansea, United Kingdom
Leslie Ryan, a professional organist and honours graduate in music, is an experienced teacher and lecturer. He has been head of music departments in several comprehensive schools and recently retired as lecturer in charge of A level music and music technology at a tertiary college. He has developed a series of special arrangements for 'first orchestras' - Primary Proms - for pupils aged 8 and upwards (beginner to grade 3/4) and has organised and conducted many concerts of his proms arrangements, some of which have been broadcast. In 2002 his scores were used as the basis for 'Proms in a Primary' - professionally run music workshops organised by the Education Department of St David's Hall Cardiff and used for projects in many of Cardiff's primary schools.His scores have also been used by Live Music Now! in their workshops with young musicians led by the professional quartet Celticana. Primary Proms use great classical themes, ragtimes and traditional folk melodies in easy to play, easy to read, deliberately uncluttered and plain looking sheet music. They are all pic 'n' mix arrangements and make excellent material for practical projects, classroom orchestras, county and district first orchestras, concerts, school assemblies and church orchestras. Email for free photocopiable INFO-SHEETS on the music for your pupils and students. Another project is transcribing the treasures of the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book into modern, playable and readable versions for organ, harpsichord or piano. These delightful keyboard pieces from the late Renaissance deserve a wider public! Try some, they are are all from easy to moderate in difficul. A third project involves arranging Afro-American spirituals for choirs. Leslie has arranged several pieces for the Ariosa Singers. He is also organist for the Morriston Orpheus Choir and Joint Director of Music with his wife Penny at All Saints Church Oystermouth Swansea |
