Cheryl E. Leonard

Cheryl E. Leonard is a composer, performer, improviser and instrument builder. Raw materials for her works can come from just about anywhere and result in pieces that embrace the spectrum of musical possibilities: improvised to composed, acoustic to electronic, diaphanous to bombastic, notes to noise. Many of Leonard’s works explore subtle textures and intricacies of sounds not generally considered musical, and often include the creation of instruments from found natural materials. Her other interests include collaboration across artistic disciplines, and developing site-specific compositions and instruments. Cheryl has also spent many years performing and improvising with various experimental ensembles and noise bands, and these days she often works with Big City Orchestra. Leonard just returned from Palmer Research Station in Antarctica, where she spent a month collecting natural sounds and materials with which to create her next series of compositions. Cheryl's most recently completed project is "Music for Rocks and Water," a collection of pieces for amplified stones and homemade water instruments, which are inspired by motions and gestures from the natural world. In addition to her musical endeavors Leonard is a mountaineer, studies Aikido and Chinese landscape painting, and collects pinecones with handles. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can buy cds of Cheryl's music through CD Baby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/cheryleleonard1 http://cdbaby.com/cd/cheryleleonard2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Music from her albums "Firn" and "Fable / A History of Insects" is also available for purchase and download through iTunes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ READ ABOUT CHERYL'S MUSICAL ADVENTURES IN ANTARCTICA AT: WWW.MUSICFROMTHEICE.BLOGSPOT.COM