Eugene Ellsworth Rousseau

Eugene Ellsworth Rousseau, whose career grew from playing saxophone as a teenager in Chicago-area dance clubs to performing and educating classical saxophonists across five continents, died peacefully on August 26 in Bloomington, Indiana. He was 92. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and mentor, he will be missed for his warmth, humor, and music making. Ask virtually any student of saxophone if they know of Eugene Rousseau, and you will learn the unmistakable influence he has had on the expansion of the saxophone as a medium of classical music and artistic expression. Recognized as one of the great saxophonists of the world since his 1965 Carnegie Hall debut, the legendary saxophonist Marcel Mule of France described Rousseau as "a brilliant saxophonist and distinguished artist," and critics the world over have echoed Mule's praise. As a performer, Rousseau’s artistry inspired many “firsts.” He gave the first solo saxophone recitals in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, London and Amsterdam. He gave a yearly master course at the prestigious Mozarteum in Salzburg during 1991-2001, marking the first time that the saxophone was included at that institution. And he has premiered numerous works written for him that remain key pieces in the classical saxophone repertoire. Rousseau has appeared as a soloist with many bands and orchestras throughout the United States and abroad. His wide-ranging discography includes solo albums for Deutsche Grammophon, Delos, Liscio, Crystal, and RIAX. As an innovator, Rousseau influenced the development and sound of the instrument. Beginning in 1972, Rousseau served as Yamaha Corporation's chief consultant for saxophone research for more than 40 years, contributing to the development of acoustic improvements in saxophones, Yamaha and non-Yamaha alike. In the 1970s, unable to find commercial mouthpieces that met his vision for tone, color, projection and power, he also designed a mouthpiece for his own use. Over time, this mouthpiece became the inspiration for E. Rousseau Mouthpieces. As an educator, Rousseau served as Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music at Indiana University and was also on the faculty of the University of Minnesota and guest professor at numerous institutions. He published a number of arrangements, scholarly works, and method books, many of which have been translated into French, German, Japanese, and Chinese. He was the recipient of many awards and honors. He co-founded the World Saxophone Congress in 1969 and served as president of both the North American Saxophone Alliance and the Comité International du Saxophone. His numerous students hold major teaching positions in the U.S. and throughout the world. These lists of accomplishments, however, only hint at his greatest legacy – his ability to nurture, mentor, and inspire the musicians surrounding him to be better students, better musicians, better educators, and better performers. His family and friends will remember his lifelong devotion to the Chicago White Sox, his love of terrible puns, a good meal, and a nice dry gin martini. We will remember the stories of the wonderful people he met throughout his life across the five continents he visited in his work, and his penchant for speaking phrases in another language out of the blue. We will remember the stories he told of his childhood – the scrappy child working hard to make a better life for himself. We will remember how much he loved his family and friends, and the fine example he set for us all that relationships are the most important success of all. He is survived by his wife, Norma; daughter and son-in-law Lisa-Marie Rousseau and Eric Tollefsrud and their daughters Rachel Tollefsrud and Claire Tollefsrud; and son and daughter-in-law Joseph and Beth Rousseau and their sons Henry Rousseau and Alec Rousseau. A private, family service will be held in his honor. Memorials may be directed to Shell Lake Arts Center in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, an arts summer camp devoted to bringing the joy of the arts to aspiring musicians and artists https://shelllakeartscenter.org. Special thanks to the staff of Bell Trace Senior Living in Bloomington who helped him live out his final years with loving care. To learn more about Rousseau’s amazing life, go to. https://rousseaumouthpieces.com or click here. Allen Funeral Home and Crematory have been entrusted with arrangements. Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with family and friends at www.allencares.com

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Eugene Ellsworth Rousseau

August 23, 1932 - August 26, 2024