Paul Alexander Lessard
 
 
2018 headshot composition.jpg

Welcome to the website of Canadian-American Composer & Saxophonist Paul Alexander Lessard!

 

Upcoming Events


Past Events

XIX World Saxophone Congress

06-10 December 2023; Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

PAL gives two performances: the premiere of PAL’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra with Casey Dierlam Tse (piano), and a performance with Matthew Geiger (percussion) of works by Paul Richards and PAL.

Premiere of Blowbang

07 December 2023; Teatro Guiniguada, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

Slair gives the premiere performance of Blowbang, for alto saxophone and percussion.

Premiere of Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra

07 December 2023; Auditorium of the University of Las Palmas de G.C., Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

PAL and Casey Dierlam Tse give the premiere performance of Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra

ETSU Percussion Faculty Recital

01 December 2023; Martin Center for the Arts, Johnson City, TN

PAL and Matthew Geiger (percussion) give a preview performance of their upcoming recital at the World Saxophone Congress, including compositions by Paul Richards and PAL.

Premiere of Beckoning

18 November 2023; Tranzac Club, Toronto, ON

Midori Marsh (soprano) and Bryan Holt (violoncello) give the first two performances of Beckoning.

North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference

30 March - 02 April 2023; University of Southern Mississippi

The Canadian Armed Forces Saxophone Quartet performs Overworld (Saturday, 01 April, 3:20PM, MPAC - Choir Hall)

ETSU Music Faculty Gala

March 26, 2023; Martin Center for the Arts, Johnson City, TN

Performing with percussionist Matthew Geiger. Music by Paul Richards.

International Conference for Saxophone Pedagogy and Performance

February 24-25, 2023; University of Florida

Performing a duo recital with percussionist Matthew Geiger. Works by Fang Man and Kenneth Broadway.

Premiere of WHAT. ARBITRARY. SILLINESS.

April 2, 2022; MacMillan Theatre, Toronto, ON

The University of Toronto Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Gillian MacKay, gives the premiere of WHAT. ARBITRARY. SILLINESS.

North American Saxophone Alliance Region X Conference

March 14, 2021; Mt. Allison University (virtual)

Performing a solo recital of works by Andy Scott and Jacob TV.

International Conference for Saxophone Pedagogy and Performance

February 26-27, 2021; University of Florida

Performing a solo recital of works by Andy Scott and Jacob TV, with a comparative discussion of approaches to using text in works for saxophone and fixed electronics.

North American Saxophone Alliance 2020 Biennial Conference

March 6-9, 2020; Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

PAL and Casey Dierlam Tse perform selections by Srul Irving Glick, Jean Sibelius, Piet Swerts, and Michael McGlynn, and Brendan Catalano gives the premiere of Death Stick.

Premiere of funkin’ eh

January 16, 2020; Bunker Lane Press - 1001R Bloor Street West, Toronto

Stephanie Chua gives the premiere performance of funkin’ eh at the January Piano Lunaire concert.

2020 United States Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium

January 10-11, 2020; George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

PAL and Casey Dierlam Tse perform Horta Suite by Piet Swerts (North American premiere) and PAL’s transcription of Sibelius’s Luonnotar.

Trinity Laban Saxes play ‘Some Items,…’

December 12, 2019, 1:05pm; St. Alfege Church, Greenwich, London, UK.

The Trinity Laban Saxes give the UK premiere of Some Items, Fox Preferred, Penultimate Destination.

University of Toronto Saxophone Ensemble

April 27, 2019; Father Madden Hall, Toronto

The UofT Saxophone Ensemble gives the premiere of Some Items, Fox Preferred, Penultimate Destination.

North American Saxophone Alliance Region X Conference

February 22-24, 2019; University of Western Ontario

Performing the Canadian premiere of Avner Dorman’s Suite for Solo Saxophone, and the University of Toronto Saxophone Quartet performs Overworld.

University of Toronto New Music Festival

January 23, 2019; Walter Hall, University of Toronto

UofT students give the premiere of Modern Love: XXX and Vocalise

Hagerstown Municipal Band

August 19, 2018, 7:30pm; Hagerstown, MD

Featured soloist with the Hagerstown Municipal Band, performing selections by Jules Demersseman and P.I. Tchaikovsky

XVIII World Saxophone Congress

July 10-14, 2018; Zagreb, Croatia

Performing a recital of works by Avner Dorman and Raaf Hekkema at 1:30pm local time on July 12th at the Church of Saint Mark (Crkva sv. Marka)

 

Current Projects

Zawinul

Arrangement of a tune by Asheville, NC jazz mainstay Jason DeCristofaro.

[Untitled Piece for Concert Band]

A grade 3 composition for high school wind band.