Dr. Anthony Leach, Professor Emeritus of Music and Music Education at Penn State, died Wednesday at the age of 73.
Tony Leach was remembered as a mentor, a “friend,” “role model” and even “a legend” on Facebook, where his death was announced Wednesday night by Penn State’s School of Music. His legacy as an educator, conductor and composer includes performances around the world, and the founding of the Penn State gospel choir, Essence of Joy. Leach told WPSU in a 2014 interview how the choir began in 1991.
“I received a request from the Forum on Black Affairs to do music for the annual MLK banquet. And I said I don’t have a choir, but I’ll ask kids who are associated with choirs to join me.”
Soon, that group grew into Essence of Joy. And it became a course for Penn State students when Leach joined the faculty in 1994.
He described the choir’s focus as music in the African and African American traditions, from a huge variety of choral styles.
“We do a lot of sacred music,” Leach said. “And the choir over the years has commissioned various composers, and the kids really are engaged whenever they’re in front of an audience.”
Leach had a lot to do with those students being so engaged. And he will long be remembered as a friend, leader and mentor to those singers whose lives he touched at Penn State.
