Eugene Rousseau (saxophonist)
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Eugene Rousseau (born August 23, 1932 in
Blue Island Blue Island is a city in Cook County, Illinois, located approximately south of Chicago's Loop. Blue Island is adjacent to the city of Chicago and shares its northern boundary with that city's Morgan Park neighborhood. The population was 22,558 ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
) is an American classical saxophonist. He plays mainly the
alto The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
and
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...
s.


Career

Eugene Rousseau studied at the Paris conservatory on a
Fulbright The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...
grant with
Marcel Mule Marcel Mule (24 June 1901 – 18 December 2001) was a French classical saxophonist. He was known worldwide as one of the great classical saxophonists, and many pieces were written for him, premiered by him, and arranged by him. Many of these piec ...
in 1962. Following his studies at the Paris Conservatory, he earned a doctoral degree at the
University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...
where his principal teacher was Himie Voxman. With
Paul Brodie Paul Brodie, (April 10, 1934 – November 19, 2007) was a Canadian saxophonist, pupil of Marcel Mule. In 1994, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honour, for having "shown true mastery of his art through h ...
, another pupil of Marcel Mule, he was the co-organizer of the first World Saxophone Congress in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
in 1969. During 2005 Rousseau served as President of the Organizing Committee for the World Saxophone Congress XIII, held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The North American Saxophone Alliance honored him with its highest award, an Honorary Life Membership. He has been a consultant for saxophone research to the
Yamaha Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate with a very wide range of products and services. It is one of the constituents of Nikkei 225 and is the world's largest musical instrument manufacturing company. The former motorcycle div ...
since 1972. The "Eugene Rousseau saxophone mouthpiece" has been commercially available since the late 1970s. In 1985, he recorded a video program for
Yamaha Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate with a very wide range of products and services. It is one of the constituents of Nikkei 225 and is the world's largest musical instrument manufacturing company. The former motorcycle div ...
called ''Steps to Excellence''. Rousseau has served as President of both the North American Saxophone Alliance (1979–1980) and the Comité International du Saxophone (1982–1985). In 1993, Eugene Rousseau was designated an honorary faculty member of the Prague Conservatory. In 2003, Rousseau hosted the 13th World Saxophone Congress at the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...
School of Music.


Teaching and performing career

Rousseau is an orchestral saxophonist and teacher. He taught at
Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...
from 1964 to 2000. He was succeeded as professor of saxophone by Otis Murphy, himself a former student of Rousseau. He holds the title of "Distinguished Professor of Music" there. Rousseau joined the faculty of the School of Music at the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...
in the fall of 2000. He retired from teaching in 2015. He has taught a master course at the Mozarteum in
Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the ...
annually since 1991.


Publications

Rousseau wrote a book which was published in France under the title ''Marcel Mule: sa vie et le saxophone'' and also in America under the title ''Marcel Mule: His Life and the Saxophone'' He also published two method books: ''The E. Rousseau Beginning Saxophone Method'' (English, German, Japanese) and ''Saxophone High Tones'' (English, French, German). In addition, he has had many transcriptions published for saxophone performance.


Discography

Rousseau has recorded with the Haydn Trio of Vienna, the Budapest Strings, and the Winds of Indiana. *''Saxophone Concertos'', issued 1971 by Deutsche Grammophon, was the first disc containing only saxophone concertos with
orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
. This recording was reissued on compact disc in 1998. *''Saxophone Vocalise'' (Delos 3188) features Rousseau with the Winds of Indiana,
Frederick Fennell Frederick Fennell (July 2, 1914 – December 7, 2004) was an internationally recognized conductor and one of the primary figures in promoting the Eastman Wind Ensemble as a performing group. He was also influential as a band pedagogue, and grea ...
, conductor, playing classical music of Bruch, Gershwin, Heiden, Massenet, Muczynski, Puccini ''et al.''Description of Rousseau's album "Saxophone Vocalise"
/ref> *''Celebration'' (McGill) features Rousseau with the Gerald Danovitch Saxophone Quartet *''Eugene Rousseau with the Haydn Trio of Vienna'' (RICA-1003) *''The Music of Jindrich Feld'' ( RICA-1004) features Rousseau playing music of this Czech composer Jindrich Feld with the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra and pianist
Jaromir Klepac Jaromír, Jaromir, Jaroměr is a Slavic male given name. Origin and meaning Jaromír is a West Slavic given name composed of two stems ''jaro'' and ''mír''. The meaning is not definite: *Polish ''jary'' (archaic) = „spry, young, strong“; ''m ...
*''The Undowithoutable Instrument'' (RICA-1002) features Rousseau playing
soprano saxophone The soprano saxophone is a higher-register variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s. The soprano is the third-smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists (from smallest to largest) of the soprillo, sop ...
with the Budapest Strings *''Saxophone Masterpieces'' (RICA-1001) features Rousseau with pianist
Jaromir Klepac Jaromír, Jaromir, Jaroměr is a Slavic male given name. Origin and meaning Jaromír is a West Slavic given name composed of two stems ''jaro'' and ''mír''. The meaning is not definite: *Polish ''jary'' (archaic) = „spry, young, strong“; ''m ...
*''Mr. Mellow'' (Liscio) features Rousseau with the ER Big Band *''Meditation From Thais'' (ALCD-7021) features Rousseau playing classical works on several different sizes of saxophones


Musical works written for Rousseau

Several pieces for classical saxophone were written for Rousseau, including: *''Partita'' by
Juan Orrego-Salas Juan Antonio Orrego-Salas (January 18, 1919 – November 24, 2019) was a Chilean composer, musicologist, music critic, and academic. Life and career Born Juan Antonio Orrego-Salas in Santiago on January 18, 1919, Orrego-Salas studied at the Cons ...
*''Sonata for
alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...
and
piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
'' by Jindrich Feld *''Solo'' by
Bernhard Heiden Bernhard Heiden (b. Frankfurt-am-Main, August 24, 1910; d. Bloomington, IN, April 30, 2000) was a German and American composer and music teacher, who studied under and was heavily influenced by Paul Hindemith. Bernhard Heiden, the son of Ernst ...
(1969) *''Fantasia Concertante'' for alto saxophone and winds by
Bernhard Heiden Bernhard Heiden (b. Frankfurt-am-Main, August 24, 1910; d. Bloomington, IN, April 30, 2000) was a German and American composer and music teacher, who studied under and was heavily influenced by Paul Hindemith. Bernhard Heiden, the son of Ernst ...
*''Hear Again in Memory'' by Frederick A. Fox *''Visitations'' for two saxophones by Frederick A. Fox *''Skyscrapings'' for alto saxophone and piano by
Don Freund Don Freund (born 1947, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American composer, pianist, and Professor of Composition at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. His over 100 performed works, include solo, chamber, and orchestral music, live pe ...
*''Concerto after Gliere'' for alto saxophone and orchestra by
David DeBoor Canfield David DeBoor Canfield (born September 23, 1950) is an American composer of classical music. Early life and education David DeBoor Canfield (birth name, David Ellis Canfield) was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on September 23, 1950. Early musica ...
(2007) *''Quintet for Alto Saxophone and String Quartet with Chimes Ad Libitum'' by
David DeBoor Canfield David DeBoor Canfield (born September 23, 1950) is an American composer of classical music. Early life and education David DeBoor Canfield (birth name, David Ellis Canfield) was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on September 23, 1950. Early musica ...
(2016) *''Song Concerto'' for soprano and alto saxophones and chamber orchestra by Libby Larsen *''Lamentations (pour la fin du monde)'' for soprano and alto saxophones and chamber orchestra by Claude Baker *''"Mélodie pour Eugene Rousseau" for alto saxophone and orchestra (strings and harp) by Marco Ciccone (2014)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rousseau, Eugene 1932 births Classical saxophonists American classical saxophonists American male saxophonists Distinguished Service to Music Medal recipients Living people People from Blue Island, Illinois 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century American male musicians