Bio

April Leslie
Woodwind Specialist

April Leslie is a Southern California based musician, dancer and private lesson instructor. Her experience and unique talents have allowed her to travel the world combining her love for music, performing, dancing and teaching. Currently, April is a free-lance clarinetist, recording artist and woodwind coach in San Diego and Los Angeles. She is is thrilled to be performing with such groups as the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, San Diego Classics Philharmonic, San Diego Wind Symphony, Michael Bolton’s band, and various groups in the Los Angeles area.
April feels honored to have been the Original Clarinet Soloist in the off-Broadway musical Blast II. The role was created and formed specifically around her talents combining instrumental and electronic music with dance, theatrics and movement! Most recently she had the opportunity to tour Japan with the Tony and Emmy award winning team of Blast! for the premier of their new show: Blast II M.I.X. Resuming her role as the featured clarinet soloist she also played saxophone and flute. The tour was a great success as it made its debut in 11 cities including: Tokyo, Matsumoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima.
While in Japan, April was featured in several magazines including a cover article in a the well respected music magazine Brass Tribe (vol. 1 2006). She had the rare chance to perform in a music video with the very popular pop group SMAP and later represented Blast II in a performance at Tokyo’s prestigious Suntory Hall. April also conducted a workshop with famed Japanese comedian Mango. Be sure to look for April in the up-and-coming DVD of Blast II M.I.X.
Before joining the cast of Blast!, April completed her Master of Music at APU in clarinet performance (where she received a full-ride music scholarship). She has had the opportunity to study with several great clarinetists including: Frank & Sheryl Renk, Gary Gray and Kenneth Grant. During the summer of 2005, April played principal clarinet with the Monterrey, Mexico Symphony Orchestra for their final summer concert series.
Just prior to starting her Masters degree, April joined the team of Blast! for their show, Cyberjam, where she was cast as the featured clarinet soloist. Cyberjam enjoyed an exciting and well received run at the Queens Theater in London’s West End in 2004. Before joining Cyberjam, April was cast as lead clarintist/performer with Blast!’ creation, Shockwave. The company completed a critically acclaimed nine-month national tour of the United States in 2003.
April is also an award-winning Scottish Highland dancer who danced competitively from 1985-2003. In 1996 she co-founded Highland Fusion, a professional Scottish/Modern dance troupe that performs all over Southern California. April continues to enjoy performing with the troupe and is excited about starting her own dance studio in the near future!
~ For His Glory~