Biography
For Leo Strelle, the violin is more than an instrument—it is a vessel of joy and discovery. Raised in a multilingual family of musicians—his father, a cantor, and his mother, a pianist—music has always been an integral part of his life. By six, he was already performing encores at his mother’s recitals, and at twelve, he made his solo debut alongside her, playing Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Violin, Piano, and Orchestra with the Amaretti Chamber Orchestra.
Leo’s artistic path is shaped by diverse traditions of violin playing. He began his studies with Savelij Markovich Shalman and continued under Prof. Sebastian Müller at Chetham’s School of Music, where he also studied composition with Dr. Jeremy Pike and won the Fiona Ord String Chamber Music Competition. He later studied with Prof. Tanja Becker-Bender at the HfMT Hamburg and refined his compositional style under Prof. Fredrik Schwenk, premiering his String Trio No. 2 in 2022 with the Strelle Strings.
He has received first prizes in numerous national and international competitions, including the solo and chamber music categories at the 12th Concorso Internazionale Giovani Musicisti in Treviso. Most recently, he was awarded second prize at the ZHdK Interpretation Competition for Contemporary Music in April 2025. His recital work has taken him to venues such as the Elbphilharmonie, Laeiszhalle, Bridgewater Hall, St. Petersburg, and Shanghai, and he is a frequent guest at the Bristol Music Hall.
As a soloist, Leo has collaborated with ensembles including the NMH Symphony Orchestra, Abingdon Symphony Orchestra, Virtuoso Violin Festival Orchestra, Sydcup Symphony Orchestra, White Rose Symphony Orchestra, and HfMT Baroque Orchestra, performing works by Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Vieuxtemps, Vivaldi, Johann Ernst, and Bach. He has participated in numerous festivals and masterclasses, and served as executive director of the Burgos International Musik Festival. His debut CD, recorded in Treviso, includes the F-A-E Sonata and Tartini’s “Devil’s Trill” Sonata.
Leo is currently pursuing his Master's degree at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK), studying with Prof. Sergey Malov.
In addition to his solo and chamber music work, Leo explores interdisciplinary projects, such as "Das koschere Himmel," which combines acting with violin performance, and his film-score interpretation of Szymanowski’s Myths, premiered at Koki Cinema Lübeck and later performed at the Elbphilharmonie. His work with the Büyükada Concert Ensemble and the Turkish National Youth Philharmonic Orchestra reflects his commitment to musical outreach and cross-cultural collaboration.
Leo’s performances are noted for their individuality and emotional clarity. Adjudicators such as George Caird and Andrew Sherwood have praised his interpretations for their effortless technique, authenticity, and imaginative flair.
He served as concertmaster at the Ligeti Festival in Hamburg and performed Ligeti’s 1st String Quartet with the Strelle Strings, a performance lauded in Zwölf, the HfMT Hamburg student publication.
Leo performs on a Curt Jung violin and a Dirk Löscher bow, generously loaned by Dr. Peter Hauber. Outside of music, he enjoys rowing and chess.