Biography
British-Canadian conductor Leif Tse was a semifinalist of the 2nd International Conducting Competition Rotterdam and has been hand-picked to compete in the final rounds of the 59th Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors later this year. The 2024/25 season marked his debuts in Canada, with Les Violons du Roy at the Domaine Forget de Charlevoix Festival, and Portugal, with Orquestra do Algarve at Auditório Carlos do Carmo. Additionally, his recent debut with New Sussex Opera brought the UK premiere of Saint-Saëns’ first opera – Le timbre d’argent, to audiences in London, Lewes, Eastbourne, Worthing and Winchester.
Having trained as a baritone at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama before stepping onto the podium, Leif has a special affinity for opera. He premiered The Acts of Brízida Vaz by Margarida Gonçalves at the Tête-à-Tête Opera Festival 2024, conducted a double bill of Une éducation manquée by Chabrier and Cox and Box by Sullivan produced by Hand Made Opera 2023, and served as assistant conductor for Così fan tutte by Mozart at the Vienna Opera Festival 2022. In line with his vision to promote opera as an accessible and relevant art form, Leif is currently collaborating with director Theo Coleridge to adapt Lili Boulanger’s Faust et Hélène into a short film which will begin production in September 2025. His ability to coach and coax singers combined with his knowledge of vocal technique, stagecraft and language is one of Leif’s greatest assets. Furthermore, first-hand experience on stage has provided him with a deep understanding of theatre and dramatic pacing which is reflected in both his aptitude for opera conducting and narrative approach to symphonic music.
Leif garnered his vast symphonic experience conducting numerous orchestras across Europe including Sinfonia Rotterdam, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Hungarian National Szeged Symphony Orchestra, State Plovdiv Opera Orchestra, Orquestra do Algarve and Oradea Philharmonic, as well as l’Orchestre Métropolitain and Les Violons du Roy in Canada. Being committed to music-making at a community level, he held music directorships of Streatham St. Bartholomew’s Chamber Orchestra and South London String Orchestra in 2022-23, and appeared as guest conductor with Winchester Chamber Orchestra during 2024-25, giving regular charity and educational concerts. He has assisted notable conductors such as Sir Antonio Pappano, Vasily Petrenko, Sakari Oramo, Rafael Payare, Kirill Karabits, Martyn Brabbins and the late Sir Andrew Davis.
As a Christopher Hogwood Scholar, Leif obtained his Master of Performance with Distinction at the Royal College of Music, London. He was mentored by Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Domaine Forget Academy 2025 and Jukka-Pekka Saraste at the Fiskars Summer Festival 2024. He is currently based between London and Düsseldorf.
British-Canadian conductor Leif Tse was a semifinalist of the 2nd International Conducting Competition Rotterdam and has been hand-picked to compete in the final rounds of the 59th Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors later this year. The 2024/25 season marked his debuts in Canada, with Les Violons du Roy at the Domaine Forget de Charlevoix Festival, and Portugal, with Orquestra do Algarve at Auditório Carlos do Carmo. Additionally, his recent debut with New Sussex Opera brought the UK premiere of Saint-Saëns’ first opera – Le timbre d’argent, to audiences in London, Lewes, Eastbourne, Worthing and Winchester.
Having trained as a baritone at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama before stepping onto the podium, Leif has a special affinity for opera. He premiered The Acts of Brízida Vaz by Margarida Gonçalves at the Tête-à-Tête Opera Festival 2024, conducted a double bill of Une éducation manquée by Chabrier and Cox and Box by Sullivan produced by Hand Made Opera 2023, and served as assistant conductor for Così fan tutte by Mozart at the Vienna Opera Festival 2022. In line with his vision to promote opera as an accessible and relevant art form, Leif is currently collaborating with director Theo Coleridge to adapt Lili Boulanger’s Faust et Hélène into a short film which will begin production in September 2025. His ability to coach and coax singers combined with his knowledge of vocal technique, stagecraft and language is one of Leif’s greatest assets. Furthermore, first-hand experience on stage has provided him with a deep understanding of theatre and dramatic pacing which is reflected in both his aptitude for opera conducting and narrative approach to symphonic music.
Leif garnered his vast symphonic experience conducting numerous orchestras across Europe including Sinfonia Rotterdam, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Hungarian National Szeged Symphony Orchestra, State Plovdiv Opera Orchestra, Orquestra do Algarve and Oradea Philharmonic, as well as l’Orchestre Métropolitain and Les Violons du Roy in Canada. Being committed to music-making at a community level, he held music directorships of Streatham St. Bartholomew’s Chamber Orchestra and South London String Orchestra in 2022-23, and appeared as guest conductor with Winchester Chamber Orchestra during 2024-25, giving regular charity and educational concerts. He has assisted notable conductors such as Sir Antonio Pappano, Vasily Petrenko, Sakari Oramo, Rafael Payare, Kirill Karabits, Martyn Brabbins and the late Sir Andrew Davis.
As a Christopher Hogwood Scholar, Leif obtained his Master of Performance with Distinction at the Royal College of Music, London. He was mentored by Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Domaine Forget Academy 2025 and Jukka-Pekka Saraste at the Fiskars Summer Festival 2024. He is currently based between London and Düsseldorf.