The Rainbow Chorale of Delaware is delighted to have Leon DeShields join us as Artistic Director. Leon is is a choral director, countertenor, and passionate advocate for equity and community in the arts. A native of southern Delaware, he earned both his Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Delaware, studying under Dr. Isai Jess Muñoz and Dr. Paul D. Head.
An artist whose work bridges performance and pedagogy, DeShields has appeared across the United States and abroad, with credits spanning Musiktheater Bavaria (Germany), Cambridge University’s Choral Scholars Program (England), and ensembles such as the Delaware Choral Scholars, Mastersingers of Wilmington, and the Delaware Academy of Vocal Arts. He is also featured on the American Prize–winning album Tenēo and the acclaimed recording Walking Through the Valley: Choral Music from Black Composers, 1919–2022.
As Choral Arts Director at the Choir School of Delaware and an Adjunct Professor of Music at the University of Delaware’s Associate in Arts Program, DeShields champions inclusive artistry and transformative education. His creative philosophy—rooted in acceptance, curiosity, and truth—reflects a belief that music is the purest form of human dialogue, capable of uplifting and uniting all who encounter it.
