Cheryl E. Leonard
@cheryleleonard.bsky.social
composer, performer, instrument-builder, field recordist
A big thank you to Tobias Fischer for the opportunity to respond to such thoughtful questions on listening, sound, and music! 15questions.net/interview/ch...
October 3, 2025 at 12:02 AM
A big thank you to Tobias Fischer for the opportunity to respond to such thoughtful questions on listening, sound, and music! 15questions.net/interview/ch...
"near the bear," is out today! From walrus encounters at 79° N to watching the ocean freeze at -35° C, the album celebrates the High Arctic. Sounds played on natural and human-made objects intertwine with field recordings and site-specific improvisations in five works about Svalbard & Greenland.
September 26, 2025 at 4:23 PM
"near the bear," is out today! From walrus encounters at 79° N to watching the ocean freeze at -35° C, the album celebrates the High Arctic. Sounds played on natural and human-made objects intertwine with field recordings and site-specific improvisations in five works about Svalbard & Greenland.
My new Arctic album is now available for preorder:
f-o-m.bandcamp.com/album/near-t...! Five compositions inspired by the unique wildlife, environments, and human histories of Svalbard and Greenland. Available from forms of minutiae as a limited-edition CD+booklet or digital download+PDF booklet.
f-o-m.bandcamp.com/album/near-t...! Five compositions inspired by the unique wildlife, environments, and human histories of Svalbard and Greenland. Available from forms of minutiae as a limited-edition CD+booklet or digital download+PDF booklet.
September 19, 2025 at 11:16 PM
My new Arctic album is now available for preorder:
f-o-m.bandcamp.com/album/near-t...! Five compositions inspired by the unique wildlife, environments, and human histories of Svalbard and Greenland. Available from forms of minutiae as a limited-edition CD+booklet or digital download+PDF booklet.
f-o-m.bandcamp.com/album/near-t...! Five compositions inspired by the unique wildlife, environments, and human histories of Svalbard and Greenland. Available from forms of minutiae as a limited-edition CD+booklet or digital download+PDF booklet.
Things I played at the UB radio salon on Sunday
August 28, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Things I played at the UB radio salon on Sunday
Setup for my performances this Sunday at Headlands Center for the Arts as part of their Summer Open House. I’ll be in the Gym doing a sound installation and two live sets!
July 19, 2025 at 5:55 AM
Setup for my performances this Sunday at Headlands Center for the Arts as part of their Summer Open House. I’ll be in the Gym doing a sound installation and two live sets!
Instruments for my set earlier today at the San Francisco Main Library. Thanks to all who came out to listen!
July 13, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Instruments for my set earlier today at the San Francisco Main Library. Thanks to all who came out to listen!
My table at the end of last night’s Sonic Cartography improv gig in Berkeley. Good fun!
July 12, 2025 at 3:24 PM
My table at the end of last night’s Sonic Cartography improv gig in Berkeley. Good fun!
Pleased to announce that Euphotic’s latest album (which I played on and mixed) is out today on Confront Recordings: confrontrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/clastic
June 30, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Pleased to announce that Euphotic’s latest album (which I played on and mixed) is out today on Confront Recordings: confrontrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/clastic
Recording locations from last weekend’s Nature Sounds Society Workshop: Sierra Valley, Carmen Valley, and Yuba Pass. Early, chilly, good times!
June 24, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Recording locations from last weekend’s Nature Sounds Society Workshop: Sierra Valley, Carmen Valley, and Yuba Pass. Early, chilly, good times!
Recording at Rawhiti Cave (near Takata, New Zealand) two days ago: drippy!
May 9, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Recording at Rawhiti Cave (near Takata, New Zealand) two days ago: drippy!
Excited that music, natural-object instruments, and the graphic score from my composition "Littoral" are included in Marin MOCA's latest exhibition, "Future Flows." www.marinmoca.org/see-and-expe...
April 21, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Excited that music, natural-object instruments, and the graphic score from my composition "Littoral" are included in Marin MOCA's latest exhibition, "Future Flows." www.marinmoca.org/see-and-expe...
Last night’s musical instruments for a Thomas Carnacki set at the Peacock Lounge
April 12, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Last night’s musical instruments for a Thomas Carnacki set at the Peacock Lounge
Rehearsing for my concert tomorrow night at Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center. I’m performing a set of pieces about clinate change in the polar regions and California. events.stanford.edu/events/forms...
March 19, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Rehearsing for my concert tomorrow night at Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center. I’m performing a set of pieces about clinate change in the polar regions and California. events.stanford.edu/events/forms...
Tidal flow, Drakes Estero, Point Reyes National Seashore
March 17, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Tidal flow, Drakes Estero, Point Reyes National Seashore
Weaned elephant seal pups this morning out at Point Reyes National Seashore
March 12, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Weaned elephant seal pups this morning out at Point Reyes National Seashore
Gnarly root beauty - Strawberry Gap Trail, North Carolina
March 7, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Gnarly root beauty - Strawberry Gap Trail, North Carolina
Beautiful view of Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierras this morning. Protect our public lands!!
March 3, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Beautiful view of Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierras this morning. Protect our public lands!!
Northern elephant seal weaned pups at Point Reyes National Seashore
March 1, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Northern elephant seal weaned pups at Point Reyes National Seashore
Northern elephant seal weanlings this morning 😁
February 28, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Northern elephant seal weanlings this morning 😁
Admiring oaks in Golden Gate Park
February 25, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Admiring oaks in Golden Gate Park
Rehearsing a set of deep time pieces inspired by glacier-carved marks and landforms in Norway. Hear them live tomorrow night (2/20) when I open up for Lia Kohl at the Lab in San Francisco! www.thelab.org/projects/202...
February 20, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Rehearsing a set of deep time pieces inspired by glacier-carved marks and landforms in Norway. Hear them live tomorrow night (2/20) when I open up for Lia Kohl at the Lab in San Francisco! www.thelab.org/projects/202...
Another gorgeous day of hanging out with the elephant seals!
February 11, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Another gorgeous day of hanging out with the elephant seals!
Finally, some good news: out at Pt. Reyes National Seashore this year’s elephant seal pup numbers are above the 5-year average!
January 31, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Finally, some good news: out at Pt. Reyes National Seashore this year’s elephant seal pup numbers are above the 5-year average!
Spirit recharge at Point Reyes National Seashore
January 25, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Spirit recharge at Point Reyes National Seashore
Tonight at the San Francisco Tape Music Festival I’m presenting a brand new multi-channel version of my piece “Eremozoic.” Comprised primarily of recordings of the Pacific Ocean made inside antique bottles, the piece is a reflection on the extinction crisis. sfsound.org/tape/
January 10, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Tonight at the San Francisco Tape Music Festival I’m presenting a brand new multi-channel version of my piece “Eremozoic.” Comprised primarily of recordings of the Pacific Ocean made inside antique bottles, the piece is a reflection on the extinction crisis. sfsound.org/tape/