About
In recent years he has conducted the Orchestre National du Capitol de Toulouse, BBC Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Lyon, Monte-Carlo, Dortmund, Belgrade and Tampere Philharmonics, Orchestre de Picardie, Oulu Sinfonia and Kuopio Symphony. His recording of Emilie Mayer’s early symphonies won the 2021 Opus Klassik award for best recording of 18th Century Symphonic Music, and featured in the New York Times ‘Best Classical of 2020’ list. The works of living composers such as Thomas Larcher, Alissa Firsova and Jimmy Lopez regularly feature in his programmes, and he recently gave the first public performance of Larcher’s Third Symphony at the Bregenz Festival.
In addition to his concert activities, Leo McFall has conducted for English National Opera (La Traviata), Glyndebourne Festival and Glyndebourne on Tour (Vanessa, Cosi fan tutte, Don Giovanni), Opera North (The Turn of the Screw), Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden (Otello and Falstaff), and the Heidelberg Theatre (Rusalka.) His first titled position was as Erste Kapellmeister of the Staatstheater Meiningen, where he conducted a wide-ranging repertoire including Tristan und Isolde and Tannhäuser. During this time he was also assistant conductor of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, with whom he appeared in concert with Duke Bluebeard’s Castle.
After participating in masterclasses in London and Lucerne, Leo worked extensively with Bernard Haitink, assisting him in projects with the Royal Concertgebouw, Chicago Symphony, Vienna Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony and Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
A pianist and violist, Leo McFall studied conducting at the Sibelius Academy and with Johannes Schlaefli at the Zürich Hochschule der Kunst. He was awarded the Deutsche Dirigentenpreis (German Conducting Prize) in 2015 and was a finalist in the Salzburg/Nestle Conducting award 2014.