MEET THE ARTIST
BRANDON LEONARD
Brandon Leonard began playing the cello in the fourth grade at Kittredge Magnet School in Atlanta, Georgia. He chose to play the cello because he thought “the tone was warm and beautiful.” During fifth grade, Brandon was selected to participate in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Talent Development Program (TDP), studying with Karen Freer. He was introduced to the Talent Development Program by Stacey Thompson, his first orchestra director in elementary school.
NOVEMBER 28 & 29, 2021
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HOLIDAY POPS
Brandon has attended summer music camps at the Atlanta Chamber Music Festival, the Tanglewood Junior Strings Intensive program and the Center Stage Strings program at the University of Michigan. He was a participant in the 2017-2020 Georgia Music Educators (GMEA) All State Middle School Orchestra. He also served as principal cellist in 2017 and 2019 for the GMEA All State Middle School Orchestra and was selected as principal in 2020 for the High School Orchestra. Brandon was also selected as the 2018-2019 principal cellist for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) in Atlanta, Georgia, and was a recipient of the 2017, 2018 and 2019 MYSO Scholarship Awards. Currently, he is a member of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASYO) .
BRANDON LEONARD CELLO
Holiday Pops
November 28 & 29, 2021
“Brandon was also selected
as the 2018-2019 principal cellist for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) in Atlanta, Georgia, and was a recipient of the 2017, 2018 and 2019 MYSO Scholarship Awards.”
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In 2020, Brandon won 2nd prize in the National Sphinx Competition and the Center Stage Strings Young Artist Solo Competition. Recently, he won the Samuel Fordis Concerto Competition and will be soloing with the Georgia Philharmonic Orchestra. Brandon also enjoys the piano, which he has been playing for about eight years. He is an honor student and participates on his school’s academic bowl team. In church, he participates in the youth ministry and serves as a youth usher. In his spare time, Brandon enjoys playing board games, trivia, watching TV shows from the 70s/80s and listening to music.
HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
