Violist.
Composer.
Teacher.
A looping/sampling specialist,
creating multilayered viola music with a soulful edge,
mixing modern classical and the blues with a middle eastern flavor.
Latest Track
This is a live performance of ‘Snap' from 2019. It encompasses a jazzy playful minimalist style…
Upcoming Events
In April and May, Leanne plays with the UB Choro Ensemble, Masti Ensemble, and leads Creative Music Workshops.
NEWS
Buffalo Creative Music Group is a group founded by Leanne Darling that is dedicated to exploring improvised music as a form of self expression, creating community through music. Using activities inspired by the organization Music for People (https://www.musicforpeople.org/wp/). There will be food and drink beforehand - $10-15 donation suggested to cover costs. We'll explore melody, rhythmic feel, ensemble playing and exploration of styles and harmonies using simple fun exercises and forms. Lots of jamming and musical fun will be had by all!
PROJECTS
Arabic Music
Leanne has studied and played Arabic music for over 20 years, playing in the Near East and Near East River Ensembles, the Sultana Ensemble, and currently in the Masti World Music Ensemble. Click here to listen to excerpts from a performance.
She arranges Arabic music for string ensembles and gives workshops in Arabic string playing and theory. Her arrangement Isma’a for middle school string orchestra has been published by Alfred Music. Click here to listen, view and order the arrangement.
Leanne has written articles on Arabic String Playing for Strings Magazine, The American String Teacher, and the Journal of the American Viola Society.
PROJECTS
Music Improvisation Facilitation
A certified Music for People facilitator, Leanne gives workshops and residencies in “Creative Music” or free music improvisation as a means of self-expression. She has worked with musicians of all ages and abilities to help them discover their own music using simple structures and fun exercises. She currently runs regular gatherings in Buffalo, with the Buffalo Creative Music Group, and is in residency at the West Side Community Center. Check out her recent music service at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo.
PROJECTS
Viola and Loops
Leanne creates textures, melodies and rhythms with the aid of an amplifier and a looping/sampling device. Using styles that encompass minimalism, ambient, jazz, avant-garde, blues, and Arabic music she generates layers of music both planned and improvised that result in a multi-dimensional viola experience! The versatility of this arrangement makes it suitable for the concert hall, club, or gallery reception. Listen to her debut album Spiral.