Retired Colburn School Conservatory of Music cello faculty
Ronald Leonard is well known in musical circles as one of America’s finest cellists, teachers, and chamber musicians. During his 25 years as principal cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic he performed virtually the entire cello concerto literature under the direction of such conductors as Zubin Mehta, Michael Tilson Thomas, Carlo Maria Giulini, Vladimir Ashkenazy, André Previn and Esa-Pekka Salonen. A critically acclaimed chamber music performer, Mr. Leonard has been a Marlboro Festival participant including tours and recordings. He is a former member of the Hartwell, Eastman and Vermeer Quartets.
Mr. Leonard has performed at the Spoleto (Italy) Festival of Two Worlds, the Festival Casals in Puerto Rico, and has performed and taught at the Aspen Music Festival and School, The Perlman Music Program, Sarasota Music Festival, Marrowstone Summer Festival, La Jolla Summer Fest, Aria International Summer Festival and Musicorda. Mr. Leonard was a member of the cello faculty at the Colburn School Conservatory of Music until he retired in 2017.