Leonard Schmid of Düsseldorf, Germany, had been studying piano with Boris Bloch before switching to historical keyboard instruments. He holds a Bachelor’s degree with distinction from the Folkwang University of the Arts (Essen, Germany), where he studied harpsichord and basso continuo with Christian Rieger. He has participated in Masterclasses with Christine Schornsheim, Ilton Wjuniski and Christophe Rousset. As a continuo player he worked with the Essen Philharmonic Orchestra and the WDR Symphony Orchestra. In September 2014 Leonard joined the ‘Historical Performance’ program at The Juilliard School in New York where he is studying with Peter Sykes and Richard Egarr and working with visiting artists such as Béatrice Martin, Kristian Bezuidenhout, Harry Bicket, and Lars Ulrik Mortensen. Highlights from Leonard’s studies include playing continuo in Händel’s ‘La resurrezione’ under the direction of William Christie, a concerto project with Monica Huggett, and a tour to Vancouver and San Francisco with ‘J415’ and Nicholas McGegan. Leonard Schmid is a scholarship holder of the ‘German Academic Foundation’.

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