Introduction

Biography

Leslie was the son of Her­bert Hew­ard of Brad­ford.

He at­tend­ed the Man­ches­ter Ca­thed­ral Choir School, Man­ches­ter Gram­mar School, and the Roy­al Col­lege of Mu­sic.

He served in a num­ber of po­si­tions:

• Assistant or­gan­ist, Man­ches­ter Ca­thed­ral (1914)
• Organist at St. An­drew’s Church, An­coats (1914); Gar­ris­on Church, Wind­sor (1917)
• Music mas­ter, Eton Col­lege (1917)
• Director of mu­sic, West­min­ster School (1920); con­duct­or, Brit­ish Na­tion­al Op­e­ra Com­pa­ny (1922–28)
• Music di­rect­or, Cape­town Mu­ni­ci­pal Or­ches­tra and Cape Pe­nin­su­la Broad­cast­ing As­so­cia­tion (1924)
• Music di­rect­or, Ci­ty of Birm­ing­ham Or­ches­tra (1930–43)