Biography
Violinist Brendan Lesavage enjoys a versatile career as a cross-genre musician, educator, and composer. His performances have taken him everywhere, from popular restaurants to the highly esteemed Carnegie Hall, across all of Northeastern Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
Mr. Lesavage performs regularly as a soloist in classical recitals throughout the region, collaborating with pianists John Zinsky and Thomas Skoronski. Brendan has also performed with numerous musical projects throughout the region including Boots and Bangs (3x Steamtown Music Award Winner), The New Black Sage Project, The Blarney Boys, The Downpatrick Band, and the Jase Matthews Band.
Mr. Lesavage can also be heard performing at many wedding ceremonies, cocktail hours, and private events throughout the region. His booking company, BBL Music Co. has received the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award for 3 consecutive years and has produced hundreds of events.
As an educator, Mr. Lesavage teaches private violin lessons to both children and adults. His lessons are deeply rooted in the Dounis Method, an approach to violin playing that utilizes one’s native instincts in order to develop a natural, virtuosic violin technique.
In 2024, he published his first educational book, “Lesavage: Elementary Scale System.” His work is intended to provide a solid foundation for beginning string students, deeply rooted in harmony.
Mr. Lesavage’s principal teachers have been Byron Duckwall, Fritz Valenches, Luis Arellano, and Dr. Peter Isaacson. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, and has studied chamber music with Kurt Nikkanen and Dr. Maria Asteriadou.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
Steamtown Music Award, Auxiliary Musician of the Year - People’s Choice - 2025
Steamtown Music Award, Country of the Year - People’s Choice (Jase Matthews Band) - 2025
Steamtown Music Award, Country Act of the Year (Boots & Bangs) - 2023, 2025
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards (BBL Music Co.) - 2023, 2024, 2025
NEPA Rising Star, Happenings Magazine - 2024
PUBLICATIONS
Lesavage, Brendan, Elementary Scale System for Violin, BBL Music, 2024
Lesavage, Brendan, D.C. Dounis: A Biography, BBL Music, 2021
CURRENT/FORMER MEMBERSHIPS
ASTA (American String Teachers Association)
Scottish F.I.R.E.
American Federation of Musicians - Local 45 (Lehigh Valley)
FEATURED ARTICLES
EXCLUSIVE: 2025 Steamtown Music Awards winners announced in Scranton | September 15, 2025
Photos: River Front Music Festival in Schuylkill Haven | June 27, 2025
Around Town: Take advantage of all there is to do in the area | October 27, 2024
Happenings Magazine, Rising Star | May 30, 2024
Musical stories: Black Sage Project to perform… | December 14, 2023
Young Brother Teaches the Joy of Music | June 21, 2016
‘A Celtic Ramble’ celebrates Irish culture… | March 10, 2016
Bolus Christmas dinner draws thousands | December 25, 2013
School Notes | September 30, 2012
EDUCATION
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA (Graduated December 2020)
B.A. in Music (Violin), Cum Laude, Honors Program
Kutztown University Orchestra, 2nd Violin Principle (2017-2020)
Principal Teachers
Byron Duckwall, Student of George Neikrug (Violin/Dounis Method/Harmony)
Luis Arellano (Violin)
Dr. Peter Isaacson, DMA (Violin/Violin/Pedagogy)
Fritz Valenches, Student of Ivan Galamian (Violin)
Additional Studies With:
Zach Brock (Jazz/Violin), Gabriel Schaff (Violin), Seán Heely (Scottish Violin)
Dr. Ina Grapenthin (Piano), Neal Kirkwood (Jazz Piano)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Starling-Delay Symposium on Violin Studies, Juilliard School, New York, NY (6/2025)
Virtual American String Teachers Association National Conference (3/2021)
Presented research poster: The String Pedagogy of D.C. Dounis
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