Leah Hooper
After gaining a Bachelor of Music at the Elder Conservatorium University of Adelaide, Leah embarked on a performing career in a wide variety of styles.
During the past 33 years she has been a section member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, Sydney International Orchestra, leader of the Queensland Pops Orchestra cello section and a section player with Orchestra Victoria.
The main body of Leah’s work over the past 23 years has been mainly in the commercial and contemporary music areas. She has worked with various Australian composers, including David Chisholm, Jonathon Mills, Kevin Purcell, Paul Grabowsky and Cezary Skubiszewski, and has been involved with the presentation of contemporary works such as John Adam’s The Book of Alleged Dances for the Australian Ballet.
She has toured with a wide range of artists, including Barbara Streisand, Barry White, Anthony Warlow and The Cat Empire and has been the solo cellist for The Lion King, Wicked, Miss Saigon and Phantom of The Opera, as well as performing a section leader for Hugh Jackman’s ‘The Boy from Oz’.
Leah has had extensive experience in the performing in small ensembles and for 6 years was the cellist in "Allegro Vivo", Brisbane's most sought after string quartet during the late 1990's.
Leah currently tutors the cello at Presbyterian Ladies College in Melbourne and the Melbourne Youth Music programme.
