Tickets on sale soon

Mead Witter School of Music Guest Artist Series

Thomas Leleu, tuba, with piano

……

At only 37 years of age, Thomas Leleu is considered as “one of the best tuba players of the world” (Radio France) and a “world star of the tuba” (Europe 1, TMC – French national TV). He is one of the few tuba players to exclusively lead a solo career. This iconoclastic artist stands where genres mix: a classical soloist, passionate about world music, modern music and pop… “This absolute tuba genius (La Nouvelle République), acknowledged by his peers, already has an impressive career. In his hands the tuba reveals all its richness, fineness and complexity, a range that may seem endless, where it can finally find a new breath, a new youth. Thomas Leleu is a true prodigy and shows an exceptional and surprising musicality and agility thereby dusting off the traditional image of the tuba.”

He joined the Conservatoire de Paris (the CNSM) at age 17 and obtained the first prize for tuba and a degree awarded with distinctions. He studied as well at the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold (Germany) with Hans Nickel. Thomas Leleu earned awards in several competitions throughout the world such as in Markneukirchen – Germany, Jeju – South Korea, and Luxembourg. He has been principal tubist with the Marseille Philharmonic Opera since he turned 19. In 2012 Thomas put the tuba in the spotlight by winning the “Revelation Instrumental Soloist of the Year” at the annual French classical music award, the Victoires de la Musique Classique. In 2017, he was a ZDF/Arte “Stars of tomorrow” on the Arte TV channel in Berlin invited by Rolando Villazon. In 2019, he was nominated in 3 categories at the Opus Klassik in Germany (German Grammy) and at the VIA Awards in Germany.

Thomas is also regularly invited to perform at festivals and in Concerts Hall around the world with many orchestras such as: Konzerthaus de Berlin, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany), Mito Settembre Musica (Italy), Kissinger Sommer de Bad Kissingen (Germany), Festival de Pâques d’Aix en Provence, Brandenburgische SommerKonzerte (Germany), Festival de Radio France-Occitanie-Montpellier, Brucknerhaus of Linz (Austria), Esplanade Concert Hall (Singapore), Un Violon sur le Sable (in front of 50,000 people), Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Hong Kong City Hall, Arsenal de Metz, Maison de Radio France, Jazz in Alès, Leverkusener JazzTage (Germany), the Corum of Montpellier, Festival international Gramado in Concert (Brazil), and Pristina International Festival (Kosovo).

He has performed in China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong, Singapore, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and Poland.