Craig McLeish
Introducing Craig
Craig McLeish was the first boy soprano to sing a solo at the St Paul’s Cathedral Annual Messiah back in 1976. He was head chorister at the Queen’s Silver Jubilee service in 1977. The same year his proudest moment as a choirboy was hitting a four to win back the coveted Jackson Challenge Trophy against arch rivals Westminster Abbey.
In the late 80s and early 90s Craig played bass in a band called Fat and Frantic who were the first unsigned band to appear on Going Live with Philip Scofield and Sarah Greene.
They nearly made the Top 100 twice with the pop skiffle anthem “Last Night My Wife Hoovered My Head”. They also played the Reading Festival and once supported Squeeze.
One of Craig’s first jobs was as a music copyist (before computers were used) and worked on Les Miserables, Miss Saigon and TV themes including Crimewatch. After this he went on to write orchestral arrangements for recording artists Kim Hill, Matt Redman and Sheila Walsh.
Craig has also worked regularly as a BBC Songs of Praise MD, arranging hymns and songs and conducting in a wide variety of places (including a freezing barn on Christmas morning and, on another occasion, a circus Big Top!) - his highlights include the Mavis Staples, Rick Wakeman and Candy Staton specials.