Leon’s new CD release ‘Natural Connection‘ on SOMM Recordings is Classic FM’s Discovery of the Week (Margherita Taylor drive-time show 4-7pm) this week starting from 22nd January. ‘Discovery of the Week’ spotlights an exciting recent release and every day for the whole week at c. 6pm they will broadcast a different track from Leon’s album. Enjoy!
Leon has returned from a highly successful recital tour in Mexico making his debuts at the En Blanco y Negro Festival in Mexico City, the Festival Internacional de Piano Sala Beethoven in Monterrey and Festival Internacional de Piano in Torreón. Monterrey’s El Norte praised the ‘elegance and virtuosity’ of his pianism together with his ‘deeply emotional interpretation’ drawing ‘bravos from the public’. ‘The audience gave him a standing ovation’.
Leon was recently back in the studio at Menuhin Hall recording a compilation disc for SOMM Recordings of piano music inspired by the natural world including works by composers such as Bartók, Debussy, Grieg, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Ravel and Tchaikovsky. The disc is due to be released in January 2024 so watch this space!
Leon performed recently at the Fanny Davies International Piano Series at St James Guernsey and received a fine review in the Guernsey Press:
‘Until I heard Leon McCawley play, I’d never have considered so dry a virtue as ‘respect’ to feature in my reasons for my being so utterly captivated by a musician’s performance. But mulling it over with fellow audience members, it became clear that this was the overriding quality that linked his extraordinarily varied but always enthralling approach to such diverse composers as Haydn and Brahms. His credentials and interpretation together demonstrate a unique talent. But respect? I believe it is in the way he honours the deepest truths in every composer he undertakes to play and manages to communicate that to an audience so that they, in an instant, can understand and share his reverence. This is a pianist who finds the humanity in the music, and embodies it.
He was greeted with deafening applause and a standing ovation reflecting, I believe, his intuitive connection with aficionados and first-timers alike. Having led us into fierce and wonderful terrain, the master guided us safely back home. We were drained; he looked ready to do it all over again. It felt unrepeatable. It was certainly unforgettable’. Julia Meredith
Leon makes his Singapore recital debut at the Victoria Concert Hall for Singapore International Piano Festival on June 12th performing Haydn’s Variations in F minor, Mozart Sonata K533/494 and Schubert’s Sonata in B flat D960 followed by a Masterclass on June 13th.
Leon’s fourth volume of Haydn Piano Sonatas has recently been released on SOMM Recordings and has already been lauded as “one of McCawley’s finest discs to date” by International Piano Magazine. See the whole review HERE.
Leon will be one of Wigmore Hall’s Artists in Residence during the 2021/22 season. He begins his series of four concerts performing late works by Haydn, Mozart and Schubert on 30th September and further recitals will take place on 1st December 2021, 9th March 2022 and 29th June 2022.
Leon is so pleased to be giving another livestream recital at Wigmore Hall on March 19th, performing works by Schubert, Grieg and Schumann. This will be available to watch on all of Wigmore Hall’s social media platforms for 90 days. Click HERE to watch the full performance.
Leon is very happy to announce the new CD release of Haydn Sonatas Volume 3 on SOMM Recordings, now available online HERE. This is Leon’s ninth disc on the enterprising SOMM label and continues his exploration of Haydn’s rich and varied sonatas following on from highly acclaimed Volumes 1 and 2. Look out for Volume 4 next year!