LEONARDO PEREZ
SHORT BIOGRAPHIES
Violinist
Praised for his “assured and lovely” playing (Classical Voice of North Carolina), Dr. Leonardo Perez is a violinist, violist, conductor, and educator. He is Head of Strings and Associate Professor of Violin and Viola at Dalhousie University and previously taught at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
An active chamber musician, he has performed across North and South America and Europe, with appearances at the Scotia Festival Chamber Player Series, Musique Royale, and the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance. Formerly a member of the Litton Piano Trio and Voce String Quartet, he has also held residencies at the University of Iowa’s String Quartet Residency Program.
Committed to expanding the violin canon, he has premiered new works and recorded El Maestro Nicaragüense, featuring music by Luis A. Delgadillo. As Artistic Director of the Dalhousie Chamber Music Residency Program, he fosters mentorship, community engagement, and innovative programming, and remains active as a teacher, clinician, and adjudicator across North America.
Conductor
Dr. Leonardo Perez is a versatile conductor celebrated for his expressive leadership, innovative programming, and dedication to meaningful orchestral experiences. He currently serves as Director of the Dalhousie Symphony Orchestra, presenting core symphonic repertoire alongside collaborative projects that highlight a broad range of musical voices, including works by Beethoven, Florence Price, and contemporary Canadian composer Jocelyn Morlock. Notable projects include Ki’kwa’ju, an interdisciplinary reimagining of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf incorporating Mi’kma’ki storytelling. In addition to his performance engagements, he serves as the Conducting Instructor at Dalhousie University.
An active guest conductor and clinician, Dr. Perez has led the Nova Scotia Sinfonia and directed workshops for youth orchestras across North America. Previously, he was Director of the Symphony Orchestra at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He holds a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from East Carolina University and pursued additional studies with Lucinda Carver at the University of Southern California.