Leeds Conservatoire School of Music and Education

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Leeds Conservatoire School of Music and Education

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Leeds Conservatoire School of Music and Education, College & University, 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds.

The School of Music and Education at Leeds Conservatoire offers Classical, Film and Jazz training to give you unrivalled opportunities for collaboration, creativity and self-expression.

23/05/2026

🔦Alumni Spotlight: Fergus Quill 🔦

Bassist, composer and bandleader Fergus Quill has forged a reputation as a relentlessly creative and deeply prolific artist. Both a vital part of the Leeds music scene and a national name, in recent years he has been the recipient of the Musicians’ Company 2022 Tina May Jazz Award and 2023 Peter Whittingham Jazz Award.

Fergus is perhaps best known as leader and composer of genre-bending ensemble Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band. The anarchic 25+ strong group credited with “dragging big band music kicking and screaming into the 21st century” has released an eponymous studio album and a live album recorded at 2024’s Lancaster Jazz Festival and was nominated for the 2025 Jazz FM Innovation Award. The band has recently played shows at Ronnie Scott’s, The Vortex and Howard Assembly Rooms, and their new album ‘The New Atomic’ is out 26 May.

His other outfits include Fergus Quill Trio with fellow alumni Theo Goss and Nico Widdowson, Fergus Quill’s Electric Noise Ensemble and an acclaimed tribute project to cult Leeds jazz-punk hero Xero Slingsby (which was featured in a BBC 6 Music live session for DJ Deb Grant).

These numerous ensembles have performed at festivals including The London Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, Leeds Jazz Festival and A Love Supreme. His works have been praised in
publications including Jazzwise, Jazz Journal, The Big Issue and GQ Magazine.

As a collaborator he has worked extensively with composer and trumpeter Sam Eastmond (including a tour in Mexico performing the works of John Zorn), British improvising legend Evan Parker, James Mainwaring and Olivia Cutill. Fergus has arranged big band charts for the legendary Shirley Bassey and is an educator for and alumni of National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO).

19/05/2026

Crash Records Presents: Ed O’Brien

To celebrate the release of his new album ‘Blue Morpho’, Crash Records and Transgressive Records present:

Ed O’Brien in conversation with Deb Grant (tbc) and the screening of a new short film Blue Morpho: The Three Act Play.

Crash have set up special bundles for this release where fans can purchase an album on any format and get a ticket for this exclusive event.

14/05/2026

📣Looking for your next opportunity?📣

New roles and opportunities have recently been added to Life, including:
• Mentoring schemes
• Music teaching vacancies
• Graduate music assistant roles
• Cathedral music opportunities

Whether you’re interested in performance, education or community music, there’s lots worth exploring.

📲 See Life for full details and application info

13/05/2026

🔦 Alumni Spotlight: Ben Haskins 🔦

Guitarist, composer and producer Ben Haskins is a multi-faceted talent. As well as leading his own quartet and producing music under the moniker Lo
Vu, Ben is guitarist for celebrated alto saxophonist (and fellow alumni) Jasmine Myra and Ghanian powerhouse K.O.G. Ben has toured extensively across the UK and Europe, as well as playing shows in China, South Africa and Turkey. He has also performed at Glastonbury, Shambala, We Out Here and London Jazz Festival, and has appeared on Later…with Jools Holland.

The Ben Haskins Quartet draws influence from jazz scenes on both sides of the Atlantic, taking inspiration from John Coltrane, Shabaka Hutchings, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ambrose Akinmusire and Bill Frisell. Featuring fellow alumni Ben Powling on saxophone, Theo Goss on drums and Owen Burns on bass, the band has become a honed ensemble and played shows across the North of England.

The group’s debut album Second Thoughts and lockdown-era EP ‘Twenty Twenty/Laid Up’ showcase Ben’s melodic, expansive compositions and lithe guitar playing, alongside propulsive improvisation from the ensemble. The groups new singles ‘July’ (featuring vocalist and Leeds Conservatoire lecturer Amy Clark), ’Colours Stay’ and ‘Shapes Change’ are available on streaming services now. The Ben Haskins Quartet has upcoming shows at Zefferellis in Ambleside, Band On The Wall in Manchester and The Globe in Newcastle.

In 2024 Ben began releasing music as Lo Vu. His debut EP includes collaborations with Slip Martin and K.O.G and has been featured on BBC 6 Music and BBC Introducing. The projects live incarnation (featuring an all star line-up from the Leeds jazz scene) has recently played shows in Bristol, Manchester and Leeds.

“One of the most talented music makers the region has to offer” - Christian Carlisle, BBC introducing

10/05/2026

📣 The F List Research Conference is coming to Leeds.

Hosted in collaboration with Leeds Conservatoire and ICMP, this year’s conference brings together artists, researchers and industry professionals for conversations around gender equity, creativity and the music industry.

The programme includes contributions from many Leeds Conservatoire staff, and attendance is free both in person and via livestream.

🎶 Open to students, staff and anyone interested in the future of the industry.

08/05/2026

🎷 Recent scenes from The B-Side 🎶

Featuring performances from the Billy Marrows Grande Familia ensemble and Joshua Pattison’s group.

A great evening of collaboration and playing from the Jazz student gig committee!
_.pattison

07/05/2026

The Frank Kidson Choir Project 🎶

To help us celebrate 60 years of groundbreaking music in the city, we draw inspiration from one of England’s earliest and most influential folk song collectors, Leeds-born Frank Kidson (1855–1926). Throughout his lifetime he preserved and published countless folk songs from Yorkshire (and further afield) that might otherwise have been lost. Folk musician and lecturer Bryony Griffith brings choirs together from across the region to perform stunning new harmony arrangements of local songs from his pivotal 1891 publication ‘Traditional Tunes’.
Choir performances include the Leeds City Museum Community Choir, Sally’s Army, Shepley Singers, Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones, and staff and students from the Conservatoire.

9/05/26
14:30 (Doors 14:00)
Brodrick Hall, Leeds City Museum
Pay what you feel

04/05/2026

🎶 Women In Music 🎶

5/05/26
17:45 - 20:30 (Doors 17:15)
Brodrick Hall,
FREE ENTRY

This Social Insights Symposium forms part of Leeds Conservatoire’s 60th anniversary programme and focuses on the experiences, visibility and representation of women in music.

Using archival material as a starting point, the event will explore how women have been portrayed, supported and marginalised within music education and the sector more broadly. Through original research, panel discussion and shared reflection, the symposium invites conversation on progress, persistence, and what still needs to change.

The symposium aims to create a supportive and reflective space for dialogue across generations, genres and career stages.

01/05/2026

🎻 Classical Violin Masterclass with Sebastian Muller

Friday 1st, 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Free
Room 219

Professor Sebastian Müller currently maintains principal study violin classes at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, at the Yehudi Menuhin School London, as well as at the Royal Northern College of Music / Chethams’ School of Music Manchester. He holds the position of visiting professor of violin at the Escuela Superior de Música in Valencia.

Müller’s extensive performance career has seen him feature as soloist with the major violin concerto repertoire (Mozart, Paganini, Sibelius, Beethoven, among others) in – and outside Europe. He has acted as principal leader and soloist of the German String Orchestra and worked with the London Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia and the Oxford Philharmon- ic, and is prize winner on both the violin and piano of the “Bundeswettbewerb Jugend Mus- iziert”, the “Ivan Sutton Chamber Music Competition” and the “Südwestdeutscher Kam- mermusikwettbewerb”.

In this Masterclass, Sebastian will critique student performances and offer advice for improvement both technically and interpretatively.

27/04/2026

🎥 Masterclass with Film & TV Composer, Matthew Slater 🎬

Wednesday 29th, 3:00pm to 8:30pm
Free
Room 219

Matt is a British composer and sound designer known for his emotionally charged, texturally rich scores for film, television, and audio drama. With a background that bridges orchestral writing, electronic soundscapes, and detailed sound design, his work is defined by a strong narrative focus and a distinctive, atmospheric voice.

He is particularly known for his work on the acclaimed ITV dramas Grace and Endeavour, where his music plays a central role in shaping the tone, tension, and emotional undercurrent of each story. His scores for these series blend subtle thematic writing with detailed sonic worlds, supporting both character and place while allowing the drama to breathe.

Find out more about Matt via Life

In this Masterclass, you will gain a clearer understanding of the film music industry, learning how composers, orchestrators and copyists collaborate to fully realise a score. You will receive a first hand perspective on developing the skills and workflows needed to succeed in professional contexts!

Address

3 Quarry Hill
Leeds
LS27PD

Telephone

+441132223400

Website

http://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/

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