BIOGRAPHY
Saxophonist Billy Bouffard is a native of Princeville, a small town in Quebec, Canada. He recently
received his Master’s Degree in Performance from the Manhattan School of Music from which he
attended on full scholarship in the studio of Dave Liebman. Billy came to the School seeking the high
level of education and the active and accomplished faculty, and to benefit from the New York jazz
scene.
Back in 1995, he graduated from Cegep de St-Laurent with a first prize in Jazz Interpretation and in
1998, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Concordia University in Montreal, which he
also attended on scholarship.
Billy was participant in three major international jazz workshops for which he also received
scholarships: the Lake Placid Jazz Seminars in New York, the Jazz Workshops at the Banff Center
for the Arts in Alberta, Canada and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Workshop in New York. These
workshops created the opportunity of meeting and playing with great musicians: Joe Lovano, Tim
Haggans, Dick Oatts, Dave Douglas, John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, Billy Hart, Kenny Werner,
Jim McNeely, Judy Silvano, Hugh Fraser, Rufus Reid, Kenny Baron ,Cecil Bridgewater and others.In
2000, Billy was awarded a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to study privately in New
York with saxophonist Dick Oatts.
For the past years Billy has performed with Alain Caron, Liza Minelli, Biréli Lagrène, Bob Mintzer,
Mike Abene, Dave Liebman, John Riley, Lew Soloff, Nancy Marano, Peter Eldridge, the Montreal
Jubilation Choir and others. Billy has been a Yamaha Canada Artist Clinician giving saxophone and
jazz band clinics around the province of Quebec. In addition, Billy has been part of the music faculty
at Cegep de Drummondville since 2006.
886 Route 263 Nord, Princeville, Quebec. G6L 5H5, Canada
(917) 519-6906, e-mail: bouff@hotmail.com
EDUCATION
2001-2003; Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School of Music in the studio
of saxophonists Dave Liebman and Dick Oatts.
1995-1998; Bachelor of Fine Arts with Jazz Specialization from Concordia University in Montreal.
1993-1995; College Diploma in Classical/Contemporary and Jazz Saxophone from St-Laurent
College in Montreal.
WORKSHOP PARTICIPATION
2002; CARNEGIE HALL JAZZ WORKSHOP
Faculty: Dave Liebman, Steve Turre, Rufus Reid, Cecil Bridgewater, Kenny Baron and Justin
DiCioccio
1999; JAZZ WORKSHOP AT BANFF
Faculty: Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, Dave Holland, Judy Silvano and Dave Douglas
1998; LAKE PLACID JAZZ SEMINARS
Faculty: Joe Lovano, Billy Hart, Tim Haggans, Dick Oatts, Jim McNeely, Kenny Werner, John
Abercrombie and Rufus Reid
AWARDS
2002-2003: Full scholarship from the Manhattan School Of Music
2001: Grant from The Quebec Arts and Letters Council to study in New York
1999: Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to study with saxophonis Dick Oatts
1998: Accomplishment Grant from the Concordia University Music Department and Entrance
Scholarship in 1995
1995: First Prize in Jazz Interpretation from St-Laurent College
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2002-2003; Preparatory Division Teacher at the Manhattan School of Music for Jazz Theory,
Improvisation, Combo and saxophone lessons
Saxophone lessons and master classes at LaGuardia High School and Initiation to Jazz at
Elementary School P.S.36 in New York
886 Route 263 Nord, Princeville, Quebec. G6L 5H5, Canada
(917) 519-6906, e-mail: bouff@hotmail.com
1996-2000; Assistant Teacher and Saxophone Teacher at Massey-Vanier High School
in Cowansville, Quebec.
1993-1995; Saxophone Teacher for the Prince-Daveluy School Association in
Quebec; Saxophone teacher at the Asbestos Music Summer Camp in
Asbestos, Quebec.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
• Saxophonist for Carnival Cruise Lines since 2001
• Substitute saxophonist for the Scott Dubois Quintet
• Dick Oatts’s substitute saxophonist for the Jim McNeely Nonet and The Carnegie Hall
Jazz Orchestra
• Recording for Pianist Garry Dial and the Anthem Project
• Participant at the Inaugural Acoustic Session of Zankel Hall at the Carnegie Hall
• Studio Orchestra and Jazz Orchestra at the Manhattan School of Music with guest artists;
Dave Liebman, Dick Oatts, Nancy Marano, Phil Markovitz, Gary Smulyan and Mike Abene.
• Steve Slagle Saxophone Ensemble at the Manhattan School of Music
• Co-leader of Utopia; Composer’s collective ensemble with Trombonist Mike Fahie
• Saxophonist for the Corporate Bands; Live It Up, The Gentlemen, 5th Avenue and The
Rollikings.
• Performances at the Jazz Standard, Knitting Factory and Smalls with the Mike Wilner Trio,
bassist John Benitez and Pianist Hector Martignon
REFERENCES
• Dave Liebman; Stroudsburg, PA (570) 476-5368, E-mail: lieb@ptd.net
• Dick Oatts; Nyacks,NY (914) 980-1255, E-mail: oattsnotes@aol.com
• Garry Dial; New York City (212) 736-1534, E-mail: gdial@aol.com
• Justin DiCioccio; Dean of MSM Jazz Dept. (212) 749-2802 ext.4523, E-mail:
jdicioccio@msmnyc.edu