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on July 3, 1920, he was raised in Palo Alto by parents with Quebec roots, quickly becoming fluent in both French and
English. He began piano lessons at the age of five, then trumpet lessons at nine, and two years later joined the San Francisco Civic Symphony Orchestra. He studied piano and theory
249:
Performances of his work were recorded on the CRI, Serenus
Records, and Opus One labels, with a long gap of few recordings in the 1970s and 80s. Performers included another friend and Boulanger protégé, the harpsichordist
201:, Lessard's compositions were primarily neo-classical in style, and typically short in length; he also employed serial techniques, though not dependent on any rigid system. He was also influenced by the work of
288:. In 1996, a book written by Lessard’s eldest daughter was published, which, while using pseudonyms, contained devastating implied allegations of past improprieties with his children while intoxicated.
241:, where he remained until retiring in 1990, all the while continuing to compose on his own. During the period 1964-74 Professor Lessard focused on songs for voice and piano, composing over 35 settings.
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International Who’s Who in Music and
Musician’s Directory (in the Classical and Light Classical Fields) – Vol. 1, 2000/2001, p 383; Ed. David M. Cummings, ©2000 by Melrose Press Ltd, Cambridge, England
169:
in Paris, earning a diploma in “Harmonie, Contrepointe et Fugue.” When Paris fell to the
Germans in June 1940, he fled to the U.S. along with Boulanger, where he continued his studies with her at the
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In the early 1970s, Jack and Alida were divorced. On June 12, 1973, he married Stony Brook professor and colleague Sarah Fuller, Ph.D, and resided with her at 15 Scott’s Cove Lane in nearby
120:
works for piano and voice, chamber ensembles, and orchestra, as well as for his playful pieces for mixed percussion ensembles. He was also an accomplished pianist and conductor.
281:, who was a sculptor and educator. The Whites were a Social Register family related to the Wards, Astors, Winthrops, Chanlers, Roosevelts, Rockefellers, and others.
185:. He then spent the duration of the war back in Europe with a unit assigned to liaison between American troops and allied French fighters and personnel.
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along with wide public recognition. In the early post-war years he was fortunate to have performances of several of his orchestral works led by
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property overlooking
Nissequogue Harbor in St. James, Long Island, NY, where they raised six daughters.
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outlook that he refused the scholarship and went to study in France. From 1937 to 1940 he was a pupil of
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177:. In May 1943, he was engaged to Alida White, a voice student and granddaughter of the legendary
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in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, gaining another diploma. However, he was soon drafted into the
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Percussion and voice – lyric by Claire
Nicolas White, adapted from American Indian Tales
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Chamber orchestra with piano, flute, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, violin and percussion
312:(1952). He was also given the title of Professor Emeritus of Music at SUNY Stony Brook.
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In addition to working with Alida in her capacity as an accomplished performer of
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Original liner notes from the LP jacket for CRI 122, including John
Lessard’s
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Original liner notes from the LP jacket for CRI 208, including John
Lessard’s
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In various combinations: violin or flute, viola or clarinet, cello or bassoon
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308:(1946, 1953) as well as awards from the Alice M. Ditson Fund (1946) and the
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Concerto for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, String
Quartet, and String Orchestra
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The Architect of Desire: Beauty and Danger in the Stanford White Family
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Glockenspiel, vibraphone, gongs, tam-tams, castanets, claves and guiro
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Fragments from the Cantos of Ezra Pound for Baritone And 9 Instruments
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In 1962, he began teaching theory and composition at the newly founded
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John Lessard interviewed by Bruce Duffie, May 6, 1989 (transcription)
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John Lessard interviewed by Bruce Duffie, May 6, 1989 (transcription)
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Lessard and his wife Alida occupied The Red Cottage on the extensive
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and music educator noted among peers for his eloquent and dramatic
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John Lessard, circa 1960 (Courtesy of American Composers Alliance)
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Piano, vibraphone, marimba, bongos and voice – lyric after Han Yu
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John Lessard died in East Setauket on January 11, 2003, aged 82.
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Biographical material about Sylvia Marlowe on Remington Records
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Piano, percussion and voice – lyric after T’ang Dynasty poems
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Trumpet solo, tom-toms, temple blocks, xylophone and crotales
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Neo-classical works for piano, voice, ensembles and orchestra
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John Lessard profile on American Composers Alliance website
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List of compositions on American Composers Alliance website
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Ten Pieces for Piano Four Hands (Games and Pastimes)
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Violin, xylophone, marimba, temple blocks and bongos
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Movements for Trumpet & Various Instruments VIII
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683:Movements for Trumpet & Various Instruments VI
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360:Chamber orchestra with flute, clarinet and violin
112:(July 3, 1920 – January 11, 2003) was an American
321:John Lessard longer works by date of composition
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795:An Assembled Sequence VIII: Making A Collection
443:Large harpsichord – dedicated to Sylvia Marlowe
781:An Assembled Sequence for a Solo Percussionist
209:. With a leg-up from fellow Boulanger student
893:Four Songs, on Poems by Claire Nicolas White
145:, but felt so repelled by his music and the
239:State University of New York at Stony Brook
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357:Concerto for Violin & Orchestra
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70:East Setauket, New York
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607:Trumpets and trombone
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306:Guggenheim fellowships
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171:Longy School of Music
95:Composer and educator
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508:Suite for Orchestra
275:Claire Nicolas White
189:Stylistic influences
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1093:2016-03-03 at the
1077:2011-01-08 at the
1017:. The Dial Press.
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371:Box Hill Overture
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65:(2003-01-11)
51:July 3, 1920
1125:2003 deaths
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924:Piano solo
840:Piano solo
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219:LĂ©on Barzin
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1114:Categories
948:References
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497:Orchestra
415:Orchestra
374:Orchestra
245:Recordings
205:and later
181:architect
179:Beaux-Arts
163:Ernst Levy
124:Early life
47:1920-07-03
1091:Archived
1075:Archived
865:Quintet
264:Box Hill
197:and the
114:composer
79:American
203:Debussy
165:at the
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