5 Questions with flautist Christopher Leigh
By Natasha Barbieri
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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!
- 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