Leon Bahar
Hailing from Tottenham, Leon Bahar (he/him) joined the Conservatoire in 2020 and graduated with a degree in Film Music in 2022. Since graduating, Leon has gone on to receive awards for his compositions and work closely with film production companies. He joins us in this interview to reflect on his time at Leeds Conservatoire.
BA (Hons) Music (Film Music)How did studying at Leeds Conservatoire prepare you for working in the wider industry?
My time at Leeds Conservatoire allowed me to explore many different aspects and genres of music, while also helping me grow into myself and build confidence in my music. These are all very important qualities to develop as a film composer and are integral to working in the industry. Specifically, the 1-2-1 sessions I had with industry professionals gave me further insight into the various routes I would need to take moving forward.
How important were the connections you made during your studies?
I made some great connections during my studies, with both peers and lecturers. After a year of finishing my studies, I am still primarily working with many friends and colleagues I met during my time at university. The knowledge and wisdom provided by our lecturers was invaluable. I was lucky to have a good connection with all of my 121's, allowing me to push myself further.
When did you first start pursuing a music industry career, and what inspired you to do so?
When I was 16, I was quite undecided on whether I wanted to pursue a career in music, or in marine sciences, as during that time I was also very invested in sciences. After having a conversation with my parents it became very clear to me that music is my true passion in life and after doing a film music module on my A-level music course, I started to fall in love with film soundtracks. I'd always been in love with music since I was very young, but during my A-level studies my love and passion was immensely elevated, which resulted in a soaring motivation to pursue my goals!
Listen to 'Back to Beginnings, Vol 1.' on SpotifyWhat/who are your key sources of inspiration when composing?
My inspirations when composing are taken from many different genres and era's of music, but I would say my style is generally influenced by the likes of Howard Shore, James Horner, and Nicholas Brittel. When I start a new project I tend to listen to a lot of music similar to what I want to compose to put my mind in that soundworld, which is very inspiring.
How has studying your course impacted what you do for your career currently?
My studies on the Film Music course gave me the tools I needed when it comes; using various sample libraries, MIDI, sampling, beat making, recording, orchestrating, score preparation. Those are just a few examples which I use on a daily basis, and which I was able to hone during my time at Leeds Conservatoire.
Could you tell me about some of your most memorable projects to date?
I've recently finished working on a short animation, and a short fiction film called 'Scenes of the Absurd' and am now currently in preparation for a few more short films in the coming months. Asides from film music, I also write a lot of dance music, mainly Drum and Bass and Jungle. A few days ago my new EP 'Back to Beginnings, vol.1 came out on all streaming services, I really enjoy working on personal projects on the side while I'm working on films, as I think it's quite important to write music for yourself too.
Award for 'Scenes of the Absurd'What is your best memory from Leeds Conservatoire?
It's hard to think of one best memory from my time at Leeds Conservatoire, so I have a few; Having access to the venue was fantastic and allowed me to watch world class musicians on a weekly basis, for free! Seeing the BBC Philharmonic perform Vivaldi's four seasons, as well as Ivo Neame's contemporary jazz orchestra were potentially my favourite performances I saw, but my best memory had to be conducting a section of Wagner's 'Siegfried Idyll' with Opera North's orchestra, which was exhilarating.
What was the most important lesson you learned during your time studying in Leeds?
The most important lessons I learnt was simply be yourself, allow yourself to grow and don't put unhealthy pressure on yourself.
What advice would you give to a prospective student thinking of applying to your course?
If you're considering applying to the film music course, you need to ask yourself how much do I love Film and Media, and Film Music? The Film and TV industry is a tricky one to navigate, and in my experience, those who have true love and passion for cinema will always succeed. Even if you are not as musically adept, or your theory isn't quite up to scratch, as long as you love it, that love is infectious and will get you a long way! My other piece of advice would be, from the 1st day of the course, start thinking about how you can be different (stylistically) and set yourself aside from the pack. It's important to be able to do the mainstream, generic styles, but having a few niche skills and techniques will elevate your work massively.
We'd like to say a huge thank you to Leon for chatting with us!
Check out Leon online:
Website | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube
Find out more about BA (Hons) Music (Film)
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