Staff

Benjamin Saunders

Diocesan Director of Music

Benjamin Saunders carries overall responsibility for music in the Diocese of Leeds and also leads the National Schools Singing Programme. He was educated at the University of Cambridge and subsequently held organist posts at the cathedrals of Chester, Blackburn and St Giles Edinburgh. Ben has been engaged by many organisations as a consultant in the management and development of music programmes, with particular expertise in fundraising, organisational structure and addressing issues of access in marginalised or deprived communities. He was appointed a Director of Leeds Conservatoire in 2013 and Visiting Professor of Music at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana in 2015. As an organist, he has performed to HM the Queen, Princess Anne and US President Carter and worked with conductor Carl Davis and jazz virtuoso Dick Hyman. He has given solo organ concerts in France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Russia and the United States and records as a soloist for Brilliant Classics and Herald AV.

Thomas Leech

Director of the Schools Singing Programme

Thomas Leech has led the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme since 2012, also leading the educational content for the National Schools Singing Programme. Educated at Cambridge University, where he held the Organ Scholarship at Downing College, Tom enjoys a reputation as an outstanding and inspirational choral director with a passion for education and widening access to musical opportunity. Within the Schools Singing Programme he works with a range of primary school groups and directs the Senior Boys and Girls Choirs of Leeds Cathedral. He is a council member of the Association of British Choral Directors and served as a governor for eight years at his children’s primary school.

Tom is the Musical Director of Bradford Festival Choral Society, and his numerous recording credits include the complete choral works of Duruflé and complete organ works of Arvo Pärt for Brilliant Classics. He has broadcast on BBC1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, Classic FM and Radio France and has given solo recitals in many of the major UK venues, including Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and King’s College, Cambridge.

Daniel Rodriguez

Assistant Director of the Schools Singing Programme

Daniel is a charismatic and passionate Colombian choral conductor and educator. Daniel graduated with a BA in Music and Choral Conducting and Order of Academic Merit from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana of Bogotá. Subsequently, he was awarded the College of Arts Master Scholarship to study an MA in Choral conducting with Simon Halsey CBE and Julian Wilkins at the University of Birmingham. Daniel was Conducting Scholar at the Crouch End Festival Chorus Mentoring Scheme under the tutelage of David Temple CBE and has developed his skills under internationally acclaimed choral conductors, including Anthony Trecek-King, Bob Chilcott, Daniel Hyde, Patrick Russill, Nicholas Chalmers and Simon Carrington. Before joining the Diocese of Leeds, Daniel was assistant conductor of the Children’s Cantoría of Colombia; Musical Director of the San Bartolomé Chorus, choral director at Batuta National Foundation and Director of Music at Immaculate Concepción of Chicó Church of Bogotá.

For three years, Daniel served as Choral Director in schools and churches across Bradford, conducting both the Bradford Girls’ Choir and the Bradford Junior Choir. Now Assistant Director of the School Singing Programme, he leads singing at the Cathedral Choir School, Holy Rosary and St Anne’s Primary School in Chapeltown, and manages the Keyboard Studies Programme, which provides whole-class melodica sessions as well as individual lessons in piano, organ, and accordion. He combines this with his roles as Musical Director of the Knaresborough Choral Society and The Cube Choir Halifax, Fellow of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain and regular appearances as guest conductor across Yorkshire.

Benjamin Newlove

Cathedral Organist

Benjamin is the Leeds Cathedral Organist, Artistic Director of the Leeds International Organ Festival and a keyboard tutor in the Diocese of Leeds Music Keyboard Studies programme, teaching both organ and piano.

Benjamin maintains a busy schedule as a harpsichordist, organist, and conductor. In addition to his performing career, he is a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in the choral music of Tallis and Byrd.

A prizewinning master’s graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, he previously studied at King’s College London, the Royal Academy of Music, and Chetham’s School of Music. Benjamin is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, the Royal School of Music, Trinity College London, and the Royal Society of Arts.

Callum Tempest

Music Programme Manager

Callum Tempest joined Leeds Cathedral Boys Choir at the age of ten and began organ lessons three years later. He was organ scholar at Leeds Cathedral during his time in sixth form, after which he went on to attain a first-class degree in Economics and Econometrics from the University of Bristol. As Music Programme Manager, Callum has responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the Schools Singing Programme and Keyboard Studies Programme and is also Operations Consultant for the National Schools Singing Programme. He is also a trustee for the Aplastic Anaemia Trust.

Louise Wayman

Administrator and Fundraiser

Louise Wayman grew up in Dorset and studied singing at Birmingham Conservatoire and the Wales International Academy of Voice. After a varied path through opera singing, administration, singing teaching and choral work, she has found her niche as the Administrator and Fundraiser for Diocese of Leeds Music, assisting in the day-to-day running of the programme and raising money to ensure its continuation. She now lives near Keighley with her husband and two daughters. Her spare time is filled by knitting, sewing, embroidery, cryptic crosswords and being a school governor and PTA vice-chair.

Charlotte Woodhead

Choral Director and Curriculum Lead

Charlotte first became involved with the Music Department when she joined the Cathedral Girls’ Choir at the age of 16, later becoming a Choral Scholar at Leeds and then at St Chad’s Cathedral and the Oratory in Birmingham. After graduating from the University of Birmingham with a First Class Honours degree in Music, Charlotte was appointed as Choral Director for Bradford in the Schools Singing Programme in 2012. She left the Music Department in 2014 to pursue a PGCE in Secondary Music at Leeds Trinity University, and then worked as a Teacher of Music and RE at St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic College in Bradford, also completing her Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) in 2015, before rejoining the Music Department in 2017. In 2019 she completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy with the University of Wales and Voice Study Centre. She also served for 3 years as Vice-Chair of the joint Academy Council for Sacred Heart Hemsworth and St. Joseph’s Moorthorpe Catholic Primary Schools.

Elizabeth Leather

Choral Director

Elizabeth Leather is a Choral Director working with the Schools Singing Programme in numerous Leeds schools, and conducts the Junior Boys, Junior Girls, Schools Scholars and Choral Scholars Choirs of Leeds Cathedral.

Educated at the University of Oxford, where she held a Choral Scholarship at Merton College, and the University of Birmingham, where she was awarded the Bramall Music Scholarship for her MA in Choral Conducting, Elizabeth is an ambitious and passionate music educator, inspiring children and young people to develop a love of music and learning through musical experience, and widening access to music education.

Alongside her roles at the Diocese of Leeds, Elizabeth is a school governor at Middleton St Mary’s CE (VC) Primary School, a founding member of Cathedral Music Trust’s Future Leaders group, and conductor of Leeds Vocal Movement. Conducting the Cathedral Choirs, Elizabeth has featured on BBC Songs of Praise and BBC Radio 3.

Roland Mander

Choral Director

Roland graduated from the University of Huddersfield in 2014, where he specialised in piano performance and accompaniment, studying with Sally Anne Macleod. In 2016 Roland was awarded a Sing for Pleasure Young Conductors’ Scholarship, which has since led to a varied career as a choral director, workshop leader and accompanist.

He is passionate about the importance of music education and has previously enjoyed working with leading providers such as Musica Kirklees and Opera North Education. Roland’s first experience of choral singing was in his school choir and he is now delighted to provide similar life-changing opportunities to school children across the Diocese of Leeds.

Joseph Tilling

Choral Director

Joseph Tilling graduated from Leeds Conservatoire in 2023 with a first-class honours degree in Music, specialising in vocal performance and conducting. His passion for choral music started at the age of eight when he joined his local church choir, and, during his gap year, he held a Choral Scholarship at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and sang with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir.

Joseph discovered his passion for choral direction relatively recently, directing the University of Leeds Chamber Choir during his studies and has recently worked with the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain as a Conducting Scholar. He is delighted to be working as a Choral Director for the Diocese of Leeds and looks forward to inspiring children from all backgrounds to make music.

Amy Howe

Choral Director

Amy Howe studied Music at the University of Leeds, where she specialised in vocal performance, early music, and exploring connections in musicology and sociology. During her studies, Amy was a Choral Scholar at Leeds Cathedral and played an active role in Leeds University Union Music Society. She contributed by managing the Chamber Choir and later conducting the Symphonic Choir. 

On the violin and singing, Amy has performed with a variety of ensembles, including being part of the CBSO’s Youth Orchestra and Choirs whilst at school, where she initially discovered her love for choral singing. Amy’s ultimate goal is to encourage young singers to enjoy the choral scene as much as she does by providing a safe, nurturing and exciting environment in which they can thrive.

Craig Perkinton

Choral Director

Craig Perkinton studied Music at the University of York before gaining first a postgraduate qualification in Theology and then a PGCE from York St John University. After working as a classroom teacher in the UK, he went on to teach music internationally.

Craig has always been involved with music, having grown up in the church and sung in choirs since the age of four. He has led several children’s and adult choirs and is an accomplished pianist and organist in both sacred and secular settings. Now returning to Yorkshire, Craig will share his knowledge and experience to ensure that any and all children receive world-class music education and performance opportunities.

Michael Burt

Choral Director

Michael Burt is a conductor, teacher, and organist with a great passion for music education and a firm belief in the power of ‘choir’ in bringing communities together and enriching the lives of all people. After graduating from the University of Manchester with a BA and MA in Musicology, Michael trained as a teacher (PGCE) and enjoyed an early career leading music departments in both secondary and primary schools in London and internationally in Düsseldorf.

Between 2018 and 2022 Michael completed further studies in Church Music (BA) at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne, where he studied choral conducting with Reiner Schuhenn and organ performance with Margareta Hürholz. Michael was Kantor in Cologne, where he was also employed on a regional level, supporting other parish musicians and leading numerous collaborative projects and choir tours across Germany. Michael was awarded first prize for organ performance in his ARCO organ diploma. 

Adam Whitmore

Choral Director

Adam studied Russian and Spanish at Durham University, and whilst there, directed the university’s Chamber Choir. His time at Durham also marked the founding of his own freelance ensemble, the Phoenix Consort, which is about to release its second album with Convivium Records and has previously competed at international competitions. Alongside directing, his singing work has included working with ensembles like Durham Cathedral Choir as a choral scholar, early music ensemble Ottava Rima in Spain, Voces Tallinn Chamber Choir and the Seville Choral Society. He frequently sings as a soloist in recital and oratorio for choral societies and festivals.

Adam spent the last year working as a Graduate Assistant at Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire and welcomes the new challenge joining the team at the Diocese of Leeds Music Department this September. He hopes to impart the same joy he feels for choral music to as many young people as possible.

Anna Leskelä

Keyboard Studies Tutor

Anna Leskelä is a second-generation accordionist originally from Finland. Before moving to England, Anna studied Classical Accordion Music and Pedagogy at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences with Helka Kymäläinen. Prior to working in the Diocese of Leeds Music, Anna has worked in both primary and secondary education settings, as well as taught the accordion to students of all ages. She has performed in a number of charity concerts – as a conductor, in various ensembles and as a soloist – and is passionate about showing the versatility of the accordion to as many people as possible.

As a teacher Anna’s aim is to support all her students in finding their own way for self-expression, musical confidence and lifelong learning.

Katie Ryding

Keyboard Studies Tutor

Katie is a 4th year Music and Music Psychology Masters student from Manchester. She has played piano since she was 7, taking up singing as a second study shortly afterwards. This provided fantastic opportunities to perform in multiple European cities and the Royal Albert Hall. Before studying at Leeds, Katie was involved in a range of vocal activities, from Chapel choirs to Musical Theatre shows, even being nominated for a NODA award. While studying at Leeds, Katie has conducted LUUMS’ Chorus choir and been Assistant Musical Director for two musical theatre productions. This year, she conducts the Symphonic Choir and manages the university Chamber Choir.

Nina Leonard-Savićević

Piano Tutor

Nina attended St Petersburg’s Rimsky Korsakov Conservatoire and Wells Cathedral School as a scholarship student, before completing undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. She won the Birmingham Music Festival and was a finalist at the Scottish International Youth Competition.

Nina regularly performs across the UK, most notably at the 1901 Arts Club in London, St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh and the Cheltenham Music Festival. Nina is also Artistic Director of the Topsham Music Festival which launched in 2023, aiming to benefit talented young musicians and the local community by providing performance opportunities, and is a mentor for the Young Sounds’ Furthering Talent scheme.

David Pipe

Organ Tutor

David Pipe read Music at Downing College, Cambridge as Organ Scholar, later studying organ at the Royal Academy of Music. He held roles at Southwark and Guildford Cathedrals and was Assistant Director of Music at York Minster before coming to Leeds in 2016 as Cathedral Organist and founding Director of the Keyboard Studies Programme.

David has appeared as organist and conductor on national television and radio, and has made numerous recordings as organ soloist, accompanist, and continuo player, and in 2018, was elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. As Organist of Huddersfield Town Hall, he now combines his teaching with a career as a recitalist and conductor.