Known for the vibrancy of his interpretations, Alexandre Souillart has become over the years one of the leading figures on the French saxophone music scene.
Since being awarded the "Révélation classique de l'Adami" in 2010, he has developed a wide range of musical projects and expanded his activities as a concert performer, both as a soloist and in several different ensembles.
The product of a longtime complicity with pianist Matthieu Acar, their recording "Voyage Esquisse" (2021, Label Paraty), features works from French neoclassical music of the first half of the 20th century.
On the creative front, Alexandre Souillart contributes to the development of the contemporary saxophone repertoire. His collaborations have led him to premiere works by Frédéric Durieux, for whom he is the dedicatee (Übersicht II for solo tenor saxophone premiered in 2010, Dig in the air for solo soprano saxophone premiered in 2022), Philippe Leroux, Stefano Gervasoni (dedicatee in 2013 of Phanes II), Juan Arroyo and Alexandros Markeas in a musical theater creation Une Autre Odyssée with the vocal ensemble La Main Harmonique premiered at the Arsenal Metz. In 2018, he performed the Taiwanese premiere of Pierre Boulez's Dialogue de l'ombre double.
His special relationship with French composer Nicolas Mondon led to the creation of a dozen of Mondon's works, and to the creation of the Ensemble InSoliTus, directed by Javier Gonzalez Novales, a collective of musicians focused on the transmission and promotion of contemporary works, working on new pedagogical approaches and opening up to other arts.
Performing on prestigious French stages (Cité de la Musique, Salle Pleyel, Théâtre du Châtelet, Auditorium du Musée d'Orsay, Arsenal de Metz), Alexandre Souillart is also a regular guest on international stages (Japan, Taiwan, China, Greece, Unite-Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Finland, Spain, Ukraine, Peru, Colombia, Djibouti).
As a soloist, he has performed Michael Jarrell's Résurgences under Alexandre Bloch and recorded Marius Constant's Concertante under his direction. He performed Henri Tomasi's Saxophone Concerto at the Cité de la Musique in Paris, conducted by Graziella Contratto, and gave the Ukrainian and Taiwanese premieres of Manhattan Skyline, Olivier Calmel's Saxophone Concerto.
As a chamber musician, Alexandre Souillart has given many recitals in sonata and saxophone quartet at major French festivals (La Chaise Dieu, les Chorégies d'Orange, Festival d'Aix en Provence, Festival Pablo Casals-Prades, Musica-Strasbourg). He has performed with Parisian ensembles and orchestras (Ensemble Intercontemporain, L'itinéraire, Orchestre National d'Ile de France, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris).
His discography includes "Bronze battu en herbe", monographic recording of the composer Nicolas Mondon (2022, Label Initiale), "Voyage Esquisse" (2021, Label Paraty), and "Ténor, Quand tu me tiens" (2011, Meyer, CNSDMP).
Enriched by a career as a teacher, he has given public classes on four continents, as well as university lectures in Asia. His saxophone class at the Clamart Conservatoire "Henri Dutilleux" annually attracts students of many nationalities. A veritable crossroads of talented musicians, the focus is on developing identities through the practice of different types of contemporary musical expression, including electronic and mixed music, composition, free improvisation and theater studies.
At the same institute, he is the driving force behind a new program he created with composer Aurelio Edler Copes the New Languages: Performance and Creation program. A unique program focusing on interpretation, multi-disciplinary expression and composition integrating new technologies, it is aimed at performing musicians and composers as well.
In 2012, he founded and directed the "Académie Internationale de Saxophone de Bretagne", an intensive training course where twelve students from all over the world meet an international teaching team.
Alexandre Souillart is a Selmer (for saxophones) and Vandoren (for mouthpieces and reeds) artist.
Born in 1982, Alexandre Souillart studies in Paris. He graduated in Musicology from the University of Paris-IV Sorbonne and from the Paris Conservatoire - CNSMDP. He holds three Master's degrees from the CNSMDP (Saxophone, Chamber Music and Pedagogy), a "Certificat d'Aptitude" as a professor, and a Soloist Artist Diploma. He has won several first prizes in international competitions (Societa Umaniteria-Milan; Fondation Cziffra), and distinguished himself at the prestigious Adolphe Sax Competition in Dinant, Belgium, where he was a prizewinner in 2010.)