# Leo Chadburn

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**Leo Chadburn** (born 1978), formerly known by the stage name **Simon Bookish**, is a British musician and composer known for his work in experimental, electronic, pop, and classical music. He previously recorded under the pseudonym Simon Bookish,[1] and since 2015 has released music under his real name. His music has been broadcast on [BBC Radio 1](/source/BBC_Radio_1),[2] [BBC Radio 3](/source/BBC_Radio_3), [BBC Radio 6 Music](/source/BBC_Radio_6_Music),[3] and [Resonance FM](/source/Resonance_FM).[4] Originally from [Coalville](/source/Coalville), Leicestershire,[5] he moved to London and trained at the [Guildhall School of Music and Drama](/source/Guildhall_School_of_Music_and_Drama) from 1997 to 2001.[6]

## Work as Simon Bookish

Chadburn released three solo albums under the name Simon Bookish. The first two, *Unfair / Funfair* (2006) and *Trainwreck / Raincheck* (2007), combined his voice with synthesizers and laptop computers. His use of spoken word on *Trainwreck / Raincheck* and in live performances drew comparisons with "[Bowie](/source/David_Bowie) and [Baudrillard](/source/Baudrillard), [Burroughs](/source/William_Burroughs) and [Byrne](/source/David_Byrne)".[7] His third album, *Everything/Everything* (2008) featured an ensemble of brass instruments, saxophones, [Farfisa](/source/Farfisa) organ, piano, and harp. Chadburn describes this album as "a big band [song cycle](/source/Song_cycle) about science and information".[8][9]

Chadburn's most recent release as Simon Bookish was *Red and Blue EP* (2015), an experimental piece based on correspondence between [Margaret Thatcher](/source/Margaret_Thatcher) and [Ronald Reagan](/source/Ronald_Reagan).[10]

As Simon Bookish, he provided remixes of songs for bands and artists such as [Grizzly Bear](/source/Grizzly_Bear_(band)), [Franz Ferdinand](/source/Franz_Ferdinand_(band)), [The Organ](/source/The_Organ_(band)), [Owen Pallett](/source/Owen_Pallett), [Seb Rochford](/source/Seb_Rochford), and [Late of the Pier](/source/Late_of_the_Pier).[11] He has also contributed tracks to the compilation albums *Worried Noodles* (2007),[12] a compilation of songs with lyrics by artist [David Shrigley](/source/David_Shrigley),[13] and *The Wall Re-built!* (2010), which celebrated the 30th anniversary of [Pink Floyd](/source/Pink_Floyd)'s *[The Wall](/source/The_Wall)*, for *[Mojo Magazine](/source/Mojo_Magazine)*.[14]

## Work as Leo Chadburn

### Classical works

Chadburn has written a number of works for classical music groups. These include *Unison: Things Are Getting Worse* for a large ensemble of pianists,[15][16] *X Chairman Maos*, written for the ensemble [Apartment House](/source/Anton_Lukoszevieze) and performed at the [De La Warr Pavilion](/source/De_La_Warr_Pavilion) to coincide with their [Andy Warhol](/source/Andy_Warhol) exhibition in 2011,[15][17] and *Five Loops for the Bathyscaphe* (2018), commissioned by the [Britten Sinfonia](/source/Britten_Sinfonia).[18]

His string quartet, *The Indistinguishables* was written for the Canadian quartet [Quatuor Bozzini](/source/Quatuor_Bozzini) and performed at the 2014 [Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival](/source/Huddersfield_Contemporary_Music_Festival).[19] A performance by the quartet at Milton Court ([Guildhall School of Music](/source/Guildhall_School_of_Music)) in March 2019 with Gemma Saunders as narrator was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in September 2019.[20] His piece for chamber ensemble, *Freezywater*, commissioned by the [Wigmore Hall](/source/Wigmore_Hall), won a 2016 [British Composer Award](/source/British_Composer_Awards).[21] Chadburn was nominated for a second British Composer Award the following year, for his choral piece *Affix Stamp Here,*[22] written for the vocal ensemble EXAUDI.[23]

Chadburn is currently an associate composer of the [London Symphony Orchestra](/source/London_Symphony_Orchestra),[24] who performed his piece *Brown Leather Sofa* in 2013.[25]

Chadburn received an [Ivor Novello Award](/source/Ivor_Novello_Awards) nomination at The Ivors Classical Awards 2024. His piece *English Dancing Master*, for pre-recorded voices and string quartet, was nominated for Best Small Chamber Composition.[26]

### Albums (as Leo Chadburn)

Chadburn has released four solo albums under his own name,[27] the most recent of which was *Sleep in the Shadow of the Alternator* (2025), which features Chadburn narrating the landscape of post-industrial Britain.[28] His earlier releases include *Epigram / Microgram* (2013),[29] an instrumental album which utilises the [Casio CZ-101](/source/Casio_CZ_synthesizers#CZ-101) synthesizer as its only sound source, and *The Subject / The Object* (2020), which comprises two 20-minute long tracks of spoken word [stream of consciousness](/source/Stream_of_consciousness) and [drone music](/source/Drone_music).[30]

### Collaborations

Chadburn has collaborated on a number of projects with visual artists.[15] In 2009, he wrote the score for [Richard Grayson](/source/Richard_Grayson_(artist))'s video installation *The Golden Space City of God* (exhibited at [Matt's Gallery](/source/Matt's_Gallery), London and [Artpace](/source/Artpace), San Antonio), which featured a choir shot on location in Texas singing cult religious texts.[31][32]

In 2012, he collaborated with the artist Tanya Axford on a piece entitled *The Path Made by a Boat in Sound (Three Down)* for the [Whitstable](/source/Whitstable) Biennale,[33] and with video artist Jennet Thomas, on her work *School of Change*, a "sci-fi musical film", again exhibited at Matt's Gallery.[34]

He went on to work with the conceptual artist [Cerith Wyn Evans](/source/Cerith_Wyn_Evans) on a choral work for performance at the [Irish Museum of Modern Art](/source/Irish_Museum_of_Modern_Art) in 2013, based on [Samuel Beckett](/source/Samuel_Beckett)'s prose text *Imagination Dead Imagine*.[35]

Chadburn has also written music for the theatre, working with the [Royal National Theatre](/source/Royal_National_Theatre) on a new musical score for their 2007 production of *[The Caucasian Chalk Circle](/source/The_Caucasian_Chalk_Circle)*, in which he also played the part of "The Singer".[36]

As a performer, he has contributed to the albums of [Leafcutter John](/source/Leafcutter_John), [Max de Wardener](/source/Max_de_Wardener), [Patrick Wolf](/source/Patrick_Wolf), [Serafina Steer](/source/Serafina_Steer) and [Saint Etienne](/source/Saint_Etienne_(band)), credited with recorders, bass clarinet and vocals.[37] He is also credited as a producer on classical percussionist [Joby Burgess](http://jobyburgess.com)' album *24 Lies Per Second* (2013).[38]

He has occasionally performed works by other experimental composers, including [John Cage](/source/John_Cage),[39] [Gavin Bryars](/source/Gavin_Bryars),[40] [Christopher Fox](/source/Christopher_Fox_(composer)),[41] [Frederic Rzewski](/source/Frederic_Rzewski) (whose piece *Coming Together* he presented at the first London Contemporary Music Festival in 2013)[42] and [Jennifer Walshe](/source/Jennifer_Walshe) (whose work he performed at the 2017 London Contemporary Music Festival).[43] Alongside actor Gemma Saunders, Chadburn recorded a spoken word version of artist [On Kawara](/source/On_Kawara)'s twenty volume book, *One Million Years* *[Past and Future],* which was released as a limited edition four CD set.[44]

### Writing and curation

In addition to his work as a musician, Chadburn has written reviews and articles about classical and pop music for *[The Quietus](/source/The_Quietus)*, *[Frieze](/source/Frieze_(magazine))*, the *[New Statesman](/source/New_Statesman),* and *[The Wire](/source/The_Wire_(magazine))*.[45] He is the curator of the public concert series and the Summer festival at [City, University of London](/source/City,_University_of_London).[46]

## Discography

### Albums as Simon Bookish

- *Unfair / Funfair* (2006, Use Your Teeth)
- *Trainwreck / Raincheck* (2007, Use Your Teeth)
- *Everything / Everything* (2008, Tomlab)

### Albums as Leo Chadburn

- *Epigram / Microgram* (2013, Library of Nothing)
- *The Subject / The Object* (2020, Library of Nothing)
- *Slower / Talker* (2021, Library of Nothing)
- *The Primordial Pieces* (2024, Library of Nothing)
- *Sleep in the Shadow of the Alternator* (2025, Library of Nothing)[47]

## Selected notated works

- *ANTICLOCK* (2019) for ensemble (nine players). Premiered at Cafe OTO, London.[48]
- *Five Loops for the Bathyscaphe* (2018) for [piano trio](/source/Piano_trio) and recorded voices[49] for the Britten Sinfonia
- *Affix Stamp Here* (2016) for voices, [analogue synthesizers](/source/Analog_synthesizer) and projections[50]
- *Freezywater* (2016) for piano, reed organ, strings, percussion and pre-recorded voices[51]
- *The Indistinguishables* (2014) for string quartet and pre-recorded voices[51]
- *Vapour Descriptors* (2014) for two pianos[51]
- *Brown Leather Sofa* (2013) for large orchestra[51]
- *X Chairman Maos* (2011) for voice and amplified ensemble[51]

## References

1. ["Leo Chadburn Broadcasts a Radiophonic Lullaby of Decline"](https://www.thetonearm.com/leo-chadburn-broadcasts-a-radiophonic-lullaby-of-industrial-decline/). *The Tonearm*. 2025-08-08. Retrieved 2025-10-01.

1. Wyse, Pascal (2004-04-19). ["Are school music lessons killing music?"](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2004/apr/19/artsinschools.schools). *The Guardian*. [ISSN 0261-3077](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 2019-05-05.

1. ["Leo Chadburn - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/737f382b-cf74-430b-baaf-f5664961e683). *BBC*. Retrieved 2019-05-05.

1. ["Saturday 28th May 2016 - Resonance FM"](https://resonancefm.com/schedule/2016-05-28). Retrieved 2019-05-04.

1. Scott, Neil. ["The Mind's Construction Quarterly > Simon Bookish"](http://www.tmcq.co.uk/interviews/simon-bookish/). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. Leo Chadburn (16 February 2010). ["Guest Blog: Simon Bookish on His Favorite Album of the Decade"](http://www.undertheradarmag.com/blog/guest_blog_simon_bookish_on_his_favorite_album_of_the_decade/). *[Under the Radar](/source/Under_the_Radar_(magazine))*. Retrieved 6 March 2010.

1. Brainlove, John. ["Review / Simon Bookish @ Nog Gallery, Durham"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090308014523/http://drownedinsound.com/gigs/14235/reviews/523689). Archived from [the original](http://drownedinsound.com/gigs/14235/reviews/523689) on 8 March 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. Luke Turner (7 November 2008). ["Simon Bookish Goes Big Band To Sing Particle Physics And Linguistics"](http://thequietus.com/articles/00592-simon-bookish-goes-big-band-to-sing-particle-physics-and-linguistics). *[The Quietus](/source/The_Quietus)*. Retrieved 30 October 2009.

1. ["tomlab"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120524054210/http://tomlab.com/front/index.php?action=release_detail&release_id=224&release_strike=221&artist_id=32&release_action=tracks). Archived from [the original](http://www.tomlab.com/front/index.php?action=release_detail&release_id=224&release_strike=221&release_action=tracks&artist_id=32) on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["The Quietus Reviews Simon Bookish"](http://thequietus.com/articles/19530-simon-bookish-red-and-blue-ep-review). 14 January 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2016.

1. ["SIMON BOOKISH / LEO CHADBURN – REMIXES"](http://www.simonbookish.com/remixes/). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["Simon Bookish Discography at Discogs"](http://www.discogs.com/artist/Simon+Bookish/-Appearances/-Albums). *[Discogs](/source/Discogs)*. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["BBC – collective"](https://www.h2g2.com/entry/A28050374). [Archived](https://archive.today/20130813210326/http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A28050374) 13 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["Various – The Wall Re-Built! Disc Two (CD) at Discogs"](http://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Wall-Re-Built-Disc-Two/release/2088081). *[Discogs](/source/Discogs)*. December 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["SIMON BOOKISH / LEO CHADBURN – PROJECTS"](http://www.simonbookish.com/projects.php). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. Cunningham, David. ["a lot of pianos..."](http://www.stalk.net/piano/lotofpianos.htm). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["Apartment House + Simon Bookish"](http://www.dlwp.com/event/apartment-house-simon-bookish). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. Maddocks, Fiona (2018-01-28). ["The week in classical: London Sinfonietta 50th anniversary concert; Britten Sinfonia - review"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jan/28/london-sinfonietta-50th-anniversary-concert-review-britten-sinfonia-leo-chadburn). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 2018-09-09.

1. ["Leo Chadburn Composer's Kitchen 2014"](http://www.quatuorbozzini.ca/en/evenements/31997/). Retrieved 22 December 2016.

1. [New Music Show, BBC Radio 3, 21 September, 2019](https://web.archive.org/web/20190923103707/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0008pn4)

1. ["BRITISH COMPOSER AWARDS"](http://www.britishcomposerawards.com/composer_profiles.php?idc=1007&y=2016&u=27&idz=1006&w=1). Retrieved 22 December 2016.

1. ["Nominees announced for British Composer Awards 2017 - M Magazine"](https://www.m-magazine.co.uk/genres/classical/nominees-announced-british-composer-awards-2017/). *M magazine: PRS for Music online magazine*. 2017-10-26. Retrieved 2018-09-09.

1. Coghlan, Alexandra. ["Prospect recommends: The best classical music this month"](https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/prospect-recommends-the-best-classical-music-this-month-4). Retrieved 2018-09-09.

1. ["Composers – LSO Soundhub"](http://lsosoundhub.co.uk/composers/). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["Saturday 13 April: 5pm & 7.30pm – London Symphony Orchestra \[PDF\]"](http://lso.co.uk/saturday-13-april-5pm-7-30pm). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. Taylor, Mark (2024-10-15). ["Nominations for The Ivors Classical Awards 2024 announced"](https://ivorsacademy.com/news/nominations-for-the-ivors-classical-awards-2024-announced/). *The Ivors Academy*. Retrieved 2024-10-15.

1. ["Leo Chadburn Broadcasts a Radiophonic Lullaby of Decline"](https://www.thetonearm.com/leo-chadburn-broadcasts-a-radiophonic-lullaby-of-industrial-decline/). *The Tonearm*. 2025-08-08. Retrieved 2025-10-01.

1. Barry, Robert (2025-08-05). ["Leo Chadburn – Sleep in the Shadow of the Alternator"](https://thequietus.com/quietus-reviews/leo-chadburn-sleep-in-the-shadow-of-the-alternator-review/). *The Quietus*. Retrieved 2025-10-01.

1. ["SIMON BOOKISH / LEO CHADBURN - EPIGRAM / MICROGRAM"](http://www.simonbookish.com/epigram_microgram/). *www.simonbookish.com*. Retrieved 2020-07-25.

1. ["The Quietus | Features | Spool's Out | Spool's Out: Cassette Reviews For July By Tristan Bath"](https://thequietus.com/articles/28621-ukaea-bunkland-salmon-universe-lauren-doss). *The Quietus*. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-25.

1. ["Matt's Gallery – Richard Grayson: The Golden Space City of God"](http://www.mattsgallery.org/artists/grayson/exhibition-3.php). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. Januszczak, Waldemar Januszczak (13 August 2013). "Give credit to the crunch; A rewarding trip to East End galleries proves to Waldemar Januszczak that at least our bad times beget better art". *Sunday Times*

1. ["Tanya Axford"](https://archive.today/20130813210320/http://www.whitstablebiennale.com/biennale-programme/section/weekend-one/projects/TanyaAxford.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.whitstablebiennale.com/biennale-programme/section/weekend-one/projects/TanyaAxford.html) on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["Matt's Gallery – Jennet Thomas: All Suffering Soon to End"](http://www.mattsgallery.org/artists/thomas/exhibition-2.php). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["An exhibition exploring art and cinema at the Irish Museum of Modern Art"](http://www.imma.ie/en/page_236744.htm). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. Sam Marlowe (13 March 2007). ["The Caucasian Chalk Circle"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070316183509/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article1503784.ece). *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. Archived from [the original](http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article1503784.ece) on 16 March 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2009.

1. ["Leo Chadburn Discography at Discogs"](http://www.discogs.com/artist/Leo+Chadburn?anv=L.+Chadburn). *[Discogs](/source/Discogs)*. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["24 Lies Per Second – Joby Burgess, Powerplant | Credits – AllMusic"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/24-lies-per-second-mw0002438398/credits). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["Kammer Klang: Sebastian Roux + Jennifer Walshe + Lucy Railton/Leo Chadburn: 21 May 2013"](https://archive.today/20130813210258/http://www.cafeoto.co.uk/kammer-klang-sebastien-roux-jennifer-walshe-lucy-railton-leo-chadburn.shtm). Archived from [the original](http://www.cafeoto.co.uk/kammer-klang-sebastien-roux-jennifer-walshe-lucy-railton-leo-chadburn.shtm) on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. Hewett, Ivan (2014-06-01). ["London Contemporary Music Festival, review round-up: 'enthralling'"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/10868371/London-Contemporary-Music-Festival-review-round-up-enthralling.html). [ISSN 0307-1235](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0307-1235). Retrieved 2019-01-30.

1. ["the works"](https://foxedition.wordpress.com/new-work/). *fox additions*. 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2019-01-30.

1. ["LondonJazz: Review: Final Two Days at the London Contemporary Music Festival, Peckham"](http://www.londonjazznews.com/2013/08/review-final-two-days-at-london.html). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. Maddocks, Fiona (2017-12-10). ["Cavalleria rusticana/ Pagliacci; London contemporary music festival – review"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/dec/10/cavalleria-rusticana-pagliacci-review-royal-opera-lcmf). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 2018-09-09.

1. ["On Kawara : One Million Years (Box set) – Les presses du réel"](http://www.lespressesdureel.com/EN/ouvrage.php?id=6698&menu=). *www.lespressesdureel.com*. Retrieved 2019-01-30.

1. ["LEO CHADBURN – WRITING"](http://www.simonbookish.com/writing/). Retrieved 13 August 2013.

1. ["Leo Chadburn"](https://www.city.ac.uk/people/staff/leo-chadburn). *City, University of London*. Retrieved 2019-01-30.

1. ["Leo Chadburn"](https://www.discogs.com/artist/336679-Leo-Chadburn). *Discogs*. Retrieved 2025-10-01.

1. ["ANTICLOCK"](https://britishmusiccollection.org.uk/score/anticlock). *British Music Collection*. 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2019-05-05.

1. Hugill, Robert. ["Five Loops for the Bathyscaphe"](http://www.planethugill.com/2018/01/my-five-loops-for-bathyscaphe.html). Retrieved 2019-01-30.

1. ["British Composer Awards"](https://brittenpears.org/2017/12/british-composer-awards/). *Britten-Pears Foundation*. 2017-12-05. Retrieved 2019-01-30.

1. ["SIMON BOOKISH / LEO CHADBURN - WORKS"](http://www.simonbookish.com/works.php). *www.simonbookish.com*. Retrieved 2019-01-30.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.simonbookish.com)
- [Simon Bookish on SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/simonbookish)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Leo Chadburn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Chadburn) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Chadburn?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.