About Paul Leavitt

Paul Leavitt is a classically trained composer, conductor, organist and concert pianist, whose works are an eclectic mix of musical styles that range from contemporary classical to jazz, musicals and other works for theater.  He is a composer of numerous choral and instrumental works that span many genres and make is work feel both fresh and familiar at the same time. 

His score for the documentary The Last Refuge (2003), featured music characteristic of time period around World War 2 integrating traditional Jewish melodies.  Paul’s score for the 2004 feature Soirée, offered an authentic sonic backdrop for this French farce with Parisian waltzes and French songs from the 1940’s.  Hidden Grapes, a 2005 documentary by Yoshi Nishio, is part of the permanent collection at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum in Boston and integrates many styles of music spanning western and Japanese music. 

Paul has premiered major works for chorus and orchestra in Washington, New York, Paris, Hamburg, Vilnius, Lithuania and at the Amalfi Coast Festival. His musical theatre works were premiered at the Terrace Theatre at the Kennedy Center, Arena Stage in DC and at 54 Below in NYC. He’s also been music director / conductor for numerous musicals and operas in Washington, DC, New York and Paris, France. Requiem for chorus, soloists and orchestra, (2011) Alice Tully Hall in New York and A House of Glass, musical about Tennessee Williams, (2007 – 2016), Terrace Theatre (Kennedy Center, WDC), Metrostage (Alexandria, VA) Tennessee Williams Festival (2011) at Georgetown University, Kogod Cradle at Arena Stage (Washington, DC), 54 Below (2016) in New York. Le Roman d’un Tricheur by Sasha Guitry with Jean-Laurent Cochet at the Théâtre Montparnasse in Paris (1993) was his first foray into composing for theatre. 

Paul made his debut as a concert pianist at 15 years old with the Albany Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Julius Hegyi.  As a scholarship student he received an MM from the Julliard School and a BM from SUNY Purchase.  He was a laureate of the International Steinway Competition in Paris.  A versatile musican and composer, Leavitt performs regularly in Europe and the US as a choral conductor, classical concert pianist and organist.  He also maintains an active teaching studio in the Washington, DC area.  He is a member of ASCAP, SACD, American Guild of Organists (AGO), Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM), honorary lifetime member of the Friday Morning Music Club (FMMC), lifetime member of the Leshetizky Association (NYC).