Steven K. Leonard was with the NRO in 1982, when it was called the Colorado Philharmonic and when it was located in Evergreen, CO. About his experience, he states, “My work with the Colorado Philharmonic acted as the stepping stone to my orchestral work throughout my career. We covered a vast array of repertoire, all with Carl’s very patient and thorough guidance. I will always treasure this experience and the wonderful social experiences of that summer!”
Mr. Leonard currently lives in Traverse City, Michigan, where he is Associate Concertmaster in the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, and is the Director of the TSO Civic Chamber Music Program. He also performs as guest Assistant Concertmaster/Associate Principal of the violin sections in the West Michigan Symphony. This year, Mr. Leonard was a guest artist at The Bridge Chamber Music Festival at St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges in Minnesota. He maintains a busy private teaching studio in Traverse City. Mr. Leonard is frequently a visiting artist at violin masterclasses throughout the country. He enjoys performing in solo and chamber music recitals regularly.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Music with distinction in violin performance from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Arts in music from Truman State University. His major teachers were Raphael Bronstein, Oliver Steiner, James Buswell and Charles Castleman. Mr. Leonard studied chamber music with the Cleveland Quartet: Donald Weilerstein, Peter Salaff, Martha Katz and Paul Katz.
Mr. Leonard was Assistant Concertmaster of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra for 11 years in Birmingham before moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1995. He moved to Traverse City in 2009. His performance resume includes the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Opera and Ballet Orchestras, the Atlanta Lyric Theater Orchestra, the Atlanta Pops, the Colorado Philharmonic and the Eastman/Dryden Theater Orchestra.
Mr. Leonard has held teaching positions at The Interlochen Center for the Arts, University of Alabama in Birmingham, Birmingham Southern College, Huntingdon College, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, the Symphony School of America and Truman State University. In Atlanta he was the Director of the String Orchestra and Chamber Music Program for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestras of Atlanta. His primary position was as Orchestra Director at The Paideia School.