Meet Kevin Leysath Ii

We were lucky to catch up with Kevin Leysath Ii recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kevin, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

I get my work ethic from a combination of my parents, the mentors I’ve had throughout the years and my own passion for music and storytelling.The dedication my parents had in their careers instilled the value of hard work in me and their endless support for me throughout my journey as a composer and musician is something I will always be grateful for. This foundation was strengthened by the guidance of teachers not just from composition but also from conducting and saxophone. Teachers such as Octavio Vazquez, Diana Rosenblum, Chisato Eda Marling, Anne Kunkle, Jared Chase, Alba Torremocha, and Shruti Kumar have each contributed unique insights and guidance helping shaping my view and commitment to music. Ultimately, my drive and work ethic also comes from within my deep desire to create compelling music for film, which motivates me to put in the hours and give my best effort every day.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a composer, conductor and saxophonist from Rochester, NY, who is currently based in NYC. I completed my undergraduate degree in Music Composition at Nazareth College where I was awarded the Instrumental Conducting and Music Composition award. I am now pursuing a Master’s degree in Music Theory and Composition: Screen Scoring at NYU Steinhardt.

As a composer who strives to always tell a story through their music whether it be for the concert stage or screen, I craft my music using an array of instruments to convey a mix of human emotions. I think the deep emotional connection that I have with music and my love for a memorable hook and theme is what sets me a part from others.

What draws me to the collaborative nature of film scoring is the journey itself. I love watching behind-the-scenes footage of films because it reveals the collective effort that goes into creating something meaningful. Being part of that “village” is an incredible feeling, especially when you see the audience and actor’s reactions at a screening. As a film composer, I spend so much time with the characters and the director that I develop a deep connection with the story. Crafting a musical arc that aligns with the narrative is one of the most fulfilling aspects of this type of collaboration, and it’s a journey I am eager to continue to do.

In addition to scoring several films, I also compose concert music. My music has been played by ensembles such as the Nazareth College Wind Symphony, 1924 Quartet, the Bernadette Quartet, the mdi ensemble in Milan, Italy, Highland Street, and the Irondequoit String Orchestra under the direction of Evan Meccarello. My favorite pieces I have written so far has been “Yasuke” for wind ensemble and “Introspection”, for saxophone quartet. A third runner-up and audience favorite is “Red Tail Visions”. All three tell different types of stories ranging from cultural and historical context, self awareness and growth, and a child’s playtime fantasy.

In some recent news I got the amazing opportunity to be a Music Editor and Composer Assistant on National Geographic’s “For Winter’ for composer, Tammy Ari! The film follows the inspiring expedition of Ice Core Scientist and National Geographic Explorer, Alison Criscitiello who leads an international team of scientists on a daring expedition to the summit plateau of Mt. Logan to extract a record-breaking ice core. For Winter just premiered on October 31st at Banff Mountain Film Festival for a sold out crowd!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Reflecting on my journey so far as a composer, I think the most important mindsets have been patience, the willingness to take advantage of every opportunity, and the courage to step outside of my comfort zone. Patience, especially as a graduate student has been a crucial aspect of mindset. Balancing the demands of coursework, composing projects, teaching, an internship and continuing to build a career in film scoring has taught me to embrace the process and be organized. When your’e in the midst the grind it may seem tough right now but all you hard work will soon come to fruition if you continue to take your time and embrace the process.

Taking advantage of every opportunity, even the ones that didn’t seem directly aligned with my goals at the time. Often, it’s the unexpected chances that lead to the biggest breakthroughs. I found that going to events, looking for collaboration opportunities, and saying “yes” opened doors I hadn’t even considered. My advice is to stay open-minded and be willing to explore; you never know what skills you’ll pick up or who you’ll meet!

Lastly, being out of my comfort has been immensely rewarding. It is very easy to stick to what you know and where you feel most confident at in your field but I have found that my best growth has happened when I have challenged myself. I would encourage anyone to continue to learn new things and embrace discomfort because that’s where true development happens. Patience, taking advantage of opportunities, and being out of my comfort have been key pillars of my journey, and I believe they can make all the difference for anyone looking to grow in their field.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

I believe that investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in will in fact enhance your strengths even more. You may find qualities in that area you have now improved in, can now be applied to your style and craft. For instance, for my private lessons with my instructor, Shruti Kumar, one of the things she is helping me are explore is electronically altering instruments such as the saxophone, which I play. Exploring this new method of composing has led me to find elements I love, which I can now blend into my core style!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Kevin Leysath – CreativEye Photo

January Yucheng Li

Alan Tirré – Samba Fotography

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where does your optimism come from?

Optimism is the invisible ingredient that powers so much of the incredible progress in society

Confidence
Stories of Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Learning from one another is what BoldJourney is all about. Below, we’ve shared stories and

Resilience
The Power of Persistence: Overcoming Haters and Doubters

Having hates is an inevitable part of any bold journey – everyone who has made