Leslie holds a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Music degree in viola performance from the University of Alberta. She was awarded a Graduate Assistantship for 2 years at the U of A where she taught violin, viola technique and coached chamber music. She has also been a sessional instructor at Queen’s University in Kingston where she taught Class Strings.

For 10 years Ms. Mahr lived and studied in the U.S. with Taras Gabora (St. Louis Conservatory), Marylou Speaker (Boston Symphony) and Ira Weller (Metropolitan Opera). She has performed with Symphony Nova Scotia, the Calgary Philharmonic, the Richmond (Virginia) Symphony, the Edmonton Symphony and she has been principal viola of Opera Lyra in Ottawa and Opera Nuova in Edmonton. Leslie was a finalist in the Rutgers (New Jersey) Summerfest Concerto Competition and has performed as a chamber musician at the Scotia Festival of Music and the Wilmington (Delaware) Music Festival. She is violist and founder of the Taylor String Quartet which performs regularly in Edmonton.

Leslie teaches all levels of violin and viola in addition to managing the conservatory.