Alastair Leonard (Passed away 28 Jan 2023)

Heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy. Although I never met Alistair, I feel that I know him through your lovely tribute to his life. A life to be celebrated.

Alastair Leonard was born in St Davids, Pembrokeshire in 1946 and was christened David Richard Jones, but normally went by his middle name, Richard. His parents ran a grocery store, post office and B&B in “The Beehive”, which was also their family home. Alastair and his two sisters, Sonya and Shirley, grew up with the Catherdral grounds and nearby coast path and beaches as their playground.

Alastair spent much of his time in St David’s Cathedral as a boy, and it was here that he discovered his love and talent for music. He was a member of the Cathedral choir as a “boy treble” from the age of 7 and was made Lead Chorister when he was still one of the youngest members. In the summer of 1959, at age 12, he performed two solo concerts to packed Cathedral audiences, singing some very challenging Bach Cantatas. When his voice broke soon after, he had to leave the choir but was able to join again a few months later with an exceptional tenor voice.

Alastair was also precoscious at the piano. From about 8 years old, after a few lessons, he mainly taught himself to play and also immersed himself in reading scores and learning about the great composers.
When he was 15 he was accepted into the Dartington College of Arts, a year younger than usual, where he studied Piano, Voice and Composition under some of the most highly regarded teachers of the world. They were the happiest and most fruitful years for his musical development.

He then came to London to study at the Royal College of Music. While there he dropped the voice studies, preferring the piano as his instrument. He studied with some well known pianists of the day, including Bernard Roberts and Edith Vogel, and after four years aquired his ARCM performers degree with distinction.
Alastair met Nikki, his wife, when she came to London in 1967 as a dance student and they were both living in a house shared by dancers and musicians in Nottinghill Gate - the absolute centre of the world if you were young in the 1960’s.

Alastair began teaching piano and muscianship before he finished college. His first job was at Tiffin School for Boys in Kingston, which he held for five years. He then secured the prestigious position of teaching piano at University College London, where he stayed for 12 years. At the same time, he built up a substantial private practise, teaching both children and adults.

Alastair was also in demand as a composer during the 1980’s. He composed, arranged, and conducted a large and varied collection of incidental music for documentary and art films made for Channel 4, the BFI and even Lybia TV. He could compose in any style; from Bach to Elgar, the Beatles to Bryon Eno, or a Circus Organ to a sleezy jazz trio. A useful talent for movie music.

Although Alastair usually referred to himself as a “Concert Pianist”, this was a short-hand he used so that people would understand what kind of musician he was; a dedicated, highly professional, classical musician. While he did private recitals from time to time, he never actively pursued a career on the concert stage. He lacked the financial backing and connections needed to make that life happen, and he recognized that he didn’t possess the aptitude or inclination to spend his life developing this business side of being a public performer. To him, his work in music was a path of self, musical, and spiritual development.

In 1983, he had the opportunity to make a recording playing the 48 Preludes and Fugues of J S Bach’s “The Well Tempered Klavier”. A war horse of a work attempted by very few pianists. This was to be a demo in hopes of attracting a recording contract which, with hindsight, was a naïve hope in the world of the record business. Although the recording received enthusiastic praise from such respected sources as Deutche Grammaphone, the director of Radio 3 and members of the Amadeus String Quartet, it did not end up in any HMV shops.

However, in the process of making the demo he had exhausted his resources, both personal and financial. So there was then a gap of several years when Alastair did not have a piano and did not play. But he continued to compose and also aquired woodworking skills. He took a course at the London College of Furniture, found a workshop with power tools, and launched into making furniture and becoming a highly skilled wood-turner. He approached this new occupation with the same dedication he gave to music and produced some exceptional pieces of traditional style furniture to commision, plus several “Welsh stick chairs” to his own design, and dozens of gem-like turned bowls and boxes.

Eventually, he got back to teaching and playing the piano for the last couple of decades of his life. And it is probably through his teaching that Alastair left his profoundest legacy. His passionate goal was to instill a love for classical music in his students so that they would always want it in their lives. A goal to which many of his students unreservedly attest.

Go gently into that good night,
There is no dying of your light.

(Pace Dylan Thomas)

If anyone reading this remembers Alastair (Richard Jones) from his boyhood in St David’s, or perhaps from his time at Dartington or the Royal College, I would be grateful to hear from you. You can either leave a message here (as a Comment) or you could contact the Funeral Directors, E C Thomas and Son, to pass a message to me with your contact details.

Nikki Leonard (wife)

Though too few and an ocean between, visits with my Uncle Alastair (although he preferred I drop the "Uncle" title) were something I always looked forward to. In his presence, one was guaranteed gut-splitting laughter. His wit, his poetry, and his ability to make every situation fun is how I will remember him, and I will always admire the endearing way in which he and Aunt Nikki connected.

You are missed but never forgotten.

Dear Alastair,
You lit up my life, made me giggle, taught me how music was passion, showed me your beloved country Wales. I will miss you - thank you for being in my life. Carol Sue