Leo Hussein (Conductor)

One of a new generation of versatile young British conductors, LEO HUSSAIN received his training at Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music in London, and has since worked with some of the world`s finest conductors, such as Gergiev, Rattle, and Muti.

From 2003-6 he was Principal Conductor of the University of London Symphony Orchestra; other orchestras with whom he has appeared include Hamburger Symphoniker, City of London Sinfonia, Southbank Sinfonia, Southern Sinfonia, Salomon Orchestra, London Concertante and Corinthian Chamber Orchestra. Since 2003 he has been Music Director of Newbury Choral Society, which he has transformed into one of the leading amateur choirs in England, and with whom he performs three times a year - recent projects include Tippett`s A Child of Our Time and Bach`s Johannes-Passion. Reflecting his interest in contemporary music (he founded the Kettle`s Yard Ensemble with the composer John Woolrich), he recently collaborated with composers including Colin Matthews and Mark-Anthony Turnage on a concert with the London Contemporary Music Group.

Equally at home in the opera pit as on the concert platform, Leo was for two years Head of Music for English Touring Opera, for whom he conducted Figaro, The Magic Flute, Cosi fan Tutte and Donizetti`s Mary Queen of Scots. In the UK he has also conducted for Glyndebourne on Tour (Pelleas et Melisande and La Cenerentola), Aberdeen International Youth Festival (Falstaff), ROH2 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (Gentle Giant), Opera Holland Park (Cosi fan Tutte), and Opera North (Rigoletto). In Europe, he has worked for the Opera de Paris (The Rake`s Progress), Batignano Festival (Gassman l`Opera Seria), and is a regular visitor to the Salzburg Festival, where he has conducted Pelleas et Melisande with the Berliner Philharmoniker as Sir Simon Rattle`s assistant, and Benvenuto Cellini as assistant to Valery Gergiev. He will return in 2008 for Die Zauberflote and Gounod`s Romeo et Juliette.

Other future engagements include: Bach`s Matthaus-Passion in Newbury; Ligeti`s Le Grand Macabre for Theatre de la Monnaie, Brussels; Aida and Birtwistle`s Punch and Judy, both for ENO; and Lehar`s Guiditta for Grange Park Opera. He will make his debut with the Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and his Japan debut (with the Kyushu Symphony Orchestra) in November 2008.