Paul Richard

Born in France, Paul obtained a Bachelor of Musicology from the University of Franche-Comté in 2007 and was awarded the First Prize for Chamber Music. Thereafter he studied at the Conservatoire National de Region de Besançon, under Cécile Dubois, obtained a Diploma of Musical Studies for Saxophone (First Prize) in 2010 and won the First Prize at the Music Competition of Epinal (France). He then moved to South Africa and registered at Rhodes University, where he obtained BA Honours in Saxophone, Composition and Chamber Music with Academic Honours in 2014 and a Master of Music (Saxophone and Composition) (2015). Constantly seeking new repertoire for his instrument, he premiered pieces by South African composers Hannes Taljaard and Clare Loveday. Paul has conducted various concert and jazz bands as well as orchestras and choirs. He has composed and arranged pieces for various ensembles, as well as for solo instruments. An ensemble performer, Paul was a member of the Connection Saxophone Quartet with saxophonists from France and South Africa. He is a member of the Flux trio with Liesl Stoltz and Esthea Kruger and of the Cape Winelands Saxophone Quartet. Paul believes that teaching is the best way to share knowledge. He lectured Composition, Orchestration and Saxophone at NMU and is currently teaching at Jan van Riebeek and at the SACM, UCT.