Bio

lesley spencer

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LESLEY SPENCER (ASCAP)

composer/pianist/producer

Lesley Spencer was born into a military family in Puerto Rico and traveled extensively as a child - living many places in the U.S. and abroad. She has worked as a professional accompanist, music director, arranger, producer and recording artist. Lesley began her playing career at the University of Wyoming and after a season of working at the San Francisco Opera she moved to Chicago where she worked for many years as an Urban Gateways Artist, music director and instructor for Victory Gardens Theater, a freelance artist for Radio City Recording, and a documentary producer. She established Gabriella Music as an independent artist-owned label in 1997 and makes her music available for digital download on iTunes and many other internet sites. Her critically acclaimed music has been heard on NPR’s nationally syndicated programs Morning Edition and Weekend Edition, as well as on XM and Sirius satellite plus hundreds of public radio stations in North America - and in Europe on Spain’s Radio Despi, Radio SLOR in The Netherlands, Romania’s Arad & more.

Lesley’s music “transcends the ordinary“ and has a strong visual quality which evokes a wide range of emotions from the listener. Her earlier recordings, “INSIDE THE MELODY, & PASSIONATE JOURNEY,” established Lesley as an artist of unique talents. Ever evolving as an arranger, she worked with some of the brightest lights in the Chicago music scene on her CDs, “A MOVEABLE FEAST” - her first Latin Chamber Pop Ensemble CD released in 1999, and the sequel THE BEST OF TIMES”, released in 2000. Both CDs featured internationally acclaimed guitarist Fareed Haque.

In 2001 Lesley teamed up with Fareed Haque to produce “AUTHENTIC FLAVORS” - Lesley Spencer & The Latin Chamber Pop Ensemble - featuring Fareed Haque. Also joining the production team for “AUTHENTIC FLAVORS” were well known Chicago arrangers Pete Labella and Ricardo Lorenz. Recorded at STUDIOCHICAGO - “AUTHENTIC FLAVORS” was completed in May of 2002.

In the summer of 2002 - inspired by the thoughts, prayers, and sentiments of countless e-mails from people who were struggling to digest and put into perspective the tragic events of 9/11 - Lesley released an enhanced CD single and a video of her “SEPT 11TH ANTHEM”. It captures in words & music the essence of that struggle and infuses it with hope - providing us with an ANTHEM truly appropriate for the 21st century. “SEPT 11TH ANTHEM “ was the subject of an NBC CHANNEL 5 news story in Chicago by Mary Ann Ahern which was broadcast on 7/02/02 & 7/3/02. Co-produced by Lesley Spencer & Pete Labella, the ANTHEM features some of the finest professional choral singers & musicians in Chicago.

In 2003 Lesley wrote and produced an orchestral CD called “CLASSICAL DELIGHT” - Lesley Spencer & The Latin Chamber Pop Ensemble & Orchestra. Pete Labella was the head arranger, Ricardo Lorenz the guest arranger - and Fareed Haque the featured guitar soloist - with special guests Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus - Emily Ellsworth, Director. They were joined by additional top-notch studio jazz musicians and orchestral players from the Chicago Lyric Opera and Grant Park Symphony Orchestras.

Two collections, “JOY GARDEN” and “POSTCARDS FROM SPAIN” were released in 2004 & 2005, respectively, the latter qualifying for New Age Reporter’s Lifestyle Awards best album of the year in 4 categories. In 2007 Lesley produced a “SURVIVOR MEDITATIONS” CD for cancer patients which features her solo piano music from her solo album “SECRET PLACES PRIVATE THOUGHTS”. "MOMENTS MUSICAUX," Lesley's most recent solo piano album, was released in June of 2008 and has received considerable radio play on NPR's Morning Edition, and numerous other stations. Additionally, Lesley’s music has been licensed for several audio & video projects including inspirational cassettes by cosmetics doyenne & motivational speaker Marilyn Miglin, a 2005 PBS documentary “STONES FROM THE SOIL”, and a 2006 Disney movie, “STICK IT”.

Lesley produced two documentaries which were completed in 2008, both of which feature her original music: “IT’S ABOUT LIVING,” about people living with chronic illness, premiered in May of 2008 at De Paul University in Chicago - and "WHY THEY RUN", about Team In Training marathon runners, which will premiere in April at the 2009 On Location: Memphis International Film Festival. Lesley is currently hard at work preparing to enter obedience trials with her 3 year old golden retriever, Wynwood's Oliver Twist.