Christopher Leigh

5 Questions with flautist Christopher Leigh

By Natasha Barbieri

1. At what age did you begin playing the flute?

I started playing the flute when I was about 12 years old. I was going into junior high & had to pick an elective. It was either drama, speech or band. I was painfully shy, so the first two were definitely not going to happen, & I had already been playing the piano, so band was the easy choice. My piano teacher just happened to play flute, so that’s really how I came to play it at all.

2. Tell us about your most recent release. How did the inspiration come about? 

     I would say the inspiration for this album started way back when I was around 11 years old or so, & I heard Vanessa Mae playing Bach’s Tocatta & Fugue on an electric violin. It really just blew my mind. I didn’t know that A. electric violins were a thing, or B. that you could take such a well-known piece of classical music & totally rock it out! Shortly after hearing Vanessa Mae, I found Bond, & they were taking even more classical tunes I was familiar with & putting this pop/rock spin on them. I was totally hooked on it & knew that’s what I wanted to do someday.

3. Most memorable performance to date? 

     Right before my album came out, I was asked to perform on tv. I was interviewed about my upcoming album, & I played Infrared from the album. It was such a fun experience, & it was really cool to have my music broadcast across the entire state. I’d love to do it again!

4. Who are you currently listening to (for enjoyment or inspiration)? 

      I listen to a wide variety of music, but I really have an affinity for older rock. I’m writing this as I sit here in a Pink Floyd t-shirt. I’ve always got my radio tuned to Classic Vinyl. Some of my favorites are David Bowie, Prince, Led Zeppelin, Allman Brothers, & really too many more to name. But I also still listen to the people who got me interested in playing this style of music. I still find inspiration from groups like Bond & Vanessa Mae, & I listen to a lot of Lindsey Sterling as well. I often cover her songs on my YouTube channel. She even shared one of them last year!

5. Favorite piece of classical music you play?

I think probably my favorite piece is the version of the Devil’s Trill by Giuseppe Tartini. It’s the last track on my album, & probably the one that took me the most time to learn & record. It was originally written for violin, but I’ve always loved it & was determined to play it. There are always challenges when adapting a piece not meant for a wind instrument, the biggest being where to breathe! That, along with it being relatively fast in tempo, really made that piece a challenge for me, but enjoy it.

Follow Christopher at christopherleighmusic.com

Natasha Barbieri, Editor

Editor

Creator of Classical Crossover Magazine. For Natasha music has always been closely tied to her faith. At age 18, Natasha made her opera debut playing the part of the mother in Menotti’s ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ with the Eastern Festival Opera. At 20, she was a winner of the 2011 Young Artist Competition at Andrews University. Natasha graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor’s of Music. Natasha has released a series of Holiday singles “A Place Called Home” (2020), “One Little Boy,” and “The Perfect Year” (2021). In 2021, she was nominated for the ‘Future Classic Women Awards’ show on Men’s & Women’s Radio Station. Natasha is the creator and editor of ‘Classical Crossover Magazine’ a venture that has allowed her to interview many of the top stars in the genre including Sarah Brightman, Celtic Woman, Mirusia, Paul Potts, and more. During the covid-19 pandemic, she created an online concert series for the magazine that has seen her perform in the same line-up as Alex Sharpe, Lucy Kay, Barbara Padilla, Classical Reflection, and more on the virtual stage. In 2022, Natasha was included on the charity album “Stars of Classical Crossover: Christmas” in benefit of the Wallace & Gromit Children’s Charity.