Kevin Leysath II
Teaches: Sax & Piano
Styles: All Styles
Background: Kevin Leysath II is versatile saxophonist, composer, and conductor based in Los Angeles,
originally from Rochester, NY. He has performed in a wide variety of ensembles, including
saxophone quartets, orchestras, wind bands, and saxophone choirs, with experience spanning
classical, jazz, and Latin American music. Kevin has served as Principal Tenor Saxophonist with
the NYU saxophone orchestra, wind symphony and has performed with the Nazareth University
symphony orchestra, Saxophone Society, wind ensemble, as well as the NNH Saxophone
Quartet. His repertoire includes works by composers such as Glazunov, Pierné, Scarlatti,
Sweelinck, John Mackey, Jennifer Higdon, Marc Mellits, Carter Pann, and Peter Iturralde. An
active soloist on soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone, Kevin regularly performs solo works with
piano by composers including Ibert, Bach, William Grant Still, Ronald Caravan, and himself.
In addition to his performance career, Kevin is an award-winning composer and the recipient of
the 2024 ASCAP Foundation Jimmy Van Heusen Film Scoring Award. He frequently
incorporates saxophone into his film and media scores to create expressive, cinematic sound
worlds. His recent scoring work includes Infinity Hotel (dir. Helena Hockertz), The Things We
Carry (dir. Kyvon Edwin), Way Back Home (dir. Chad B. Hamilton), Cinema Recomposed in
collaboration with Paramount’s Max Fleischer Studios and the American Genre Film Archive,
and worked on the music team for National Geographic’s For Winter.
Kevin holds a Master’s degree in Music Theory and Composition (Screen Scoring) from NYU
Steinhardt and a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Nazareth University. He studied
saxophone with Dr. Chisato Eda Marling, Dr. Anne Kunkle and Dr. Timothy Ruedeman.
Dedicated to community and teaching, Kevin is committed to creating a supportive,
student-centered learning environment that builds strong fundamentals, musical confidence, and expressive artistry while fostering a lifelong appreciation for music.
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