Leila Bordreuil is a cellist, composer, and improviser based in Brooklyn.
She accesses concepts as diverse as Noise, contemporary classical, free jazz, and other experimental traditions but adheres to none of them. Driven by a fierce interest in pure sound and inherent texture, Leila challenges conventional cello practice through extended techniques and xtreme amplification methods, to the extent she sometimes seems to be playing the P.A system rather than her cello. Her immersive performances are rich in psychoacoustic effects, which she produces by merging audio-feedback, harmonic overtones, room resonance and other acoustic phenomena.

Leila is an active player in New York’s improvised music scene, and collaboration is central to her practice. Her cross-genre explorations have brought her to diverse collaborative projects, including duos with Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Luke Stewart (Irreversible Entanglements, Laurel Halo, Tamio Shiraishi (Fushitutsa), Bill Nace (Body Head), Kali Malone, Julia Santoli, and a trio with Joanna Mattrey and Sean Ali.

Leila tours regularly in Europe and the USA, having performed at MoMA PS1, Lincoln Center, Pioneer Works, Issue Project Room, The Lab (San Francisco), Art Basel (Switzerland), Berlin Atonal (Germany), Barbican Centre (London), BOZAR Museum (Brussels) and countless basements across the US.