Mary Jane Leach (born 1949) is an American composer based in New York City. She has been a member of the Downtown Ensemble, composer in residence at Sankt Peter, Köln, and has recordings on XI, New World Records, and Lovely Music. In the late 1970s Leach composed mainly with tape, overdubbing her own playing and singing. As her music became more frequently performed she continued writing in an "overdubbing" fashion, layering parts and experimenting with the textures created by multiple voices. Her compositional style is characterized by modality, imitation, and prolongation. Leach received a 1995 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award. She currently teaches music courses at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Leach is also the primary archivist and bibliographer of composer Julius Eastman. She met Eastman in 1981. In the late 1990s, she realized his music had been lost and set about collecting scores and recordings. With Renée Levine Packer, Leach edited Gay Guerrilla: Julius Eastman and His Music, the premiere book on Eastman's life and work.
Works
Piano Concerto for Emanuele, 2010
Piano E-Tude for Piano, Singer and Piano on Tape, 2009
Four Play for four Violins, 1986/2007
Labyrinthus for mixed Chorus and String Quartet, 2007
Bach's Set for Solo Cello and eight Celli on tape, 2007
Notes Passing Notes for two Female singers live und two Female singers on tape, 2007 Gulf War Syndrome for Piano, Clarinet, Cello, Percussion and Tape or Synthesizer and Tape or Piano, Synthesizer, Clarinet, 2-4 Instruments and Tape, 2004, 2006 Wolff Tones E-Tude for Piano and 4-6 Instruments, 2004 Dido in a Minute for Synthesizer and Tape, 2003 The Crane Dance for Soprano and eight part Female Chorus, 2002 Dido Remembered for Synthesizer and Tape, 2002 Copralalia, la la la for two sopranos and tape, 2002 Bruckstück for eight or six part Female chorus, 1989, 2002 The Great Goddess for eight part Female Chorus, 2001 Glorious Ariadne for eight part Female Chorus, 2001 By'm Bye for Piano, 2001 Hear My Voice for Soprano, eight part Female Chorus and String Quartet, 2001 I Sing of Warfare for Tenor, Male Chorus and String Quartet, 2001 Night Blossoms for Vocal quartet a cappella, 2001 Theseus Arrives for mixed chorus and String Quartet, 2000 Minos for Tenor and mixed chorus, 1999 The Sacred Dance for Soprano and String Quartet, 1999 Call to the Ceremony for mixed chorus and String Quartet, 1999 Ceremony of the Bull for mixed chorus and String Quartet, 1998 First String for String Quartet, 1998 O Magna Vasti Creta for eight part female chorus and String Quartet, 1997 Call of the Dance for Soprano and eight part female chorus, 1997 Ariadne's Lament for eight part female chorus or Trombone Choir, 1993, 1996 Ariel's Song for eight part female chorus or Trombone Choir, 1987, 1996 Song of Sorrows for mixed Chorus, 1995 Windjammer for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon, 1995 Tricky Pan for Solo Countertenor and eight Countertenors on tape, 1995 Corrina Ocarina for Flute und Harp, 1994 Xantippe's Rebuke for Solo Oboe and eight Oboes on tape, 1993 He Got Dictators for Soprano, Piano and Bass, 1993 Feu de Joie for Solo Bassoon and six Bassoons on Tape, 1992