About Jonathan Dufresne
About Jonathan Dufresne
Jonathan Dufresne currently serves as Assistant Director for Admissions and Public Engagement in the School of Music. Prior to this position, he worked as a Graduate Assistant in Music Admissions and as an administrative intern for the Lyric Theatre @ Illinois program. He also worked alongside the marketing team at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts to promote various events within the Lyric Theatre program.
Dufresne completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in saxophone performance and literature at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign under the tutelage of Professor Debra Richtmeyer. He has been invited to perform as a soloist internationally in countries such as Austria, Netherlands, Canada, and several venues across the United States, including Carnegie Hall. Additionally, he competed in several competitions such as the 2019 North American Saxophone Alliance Region 6 Collegiate Solo Competition, where he placed 2nd and was named winner of the 2022 University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. Playing soprano in the Chimes Street Quartet, the ensemble placed 2nd in the graduate division of the 2017 NOLA Chamber Fest, 3rd place in 2019, and competed at the regional level of MTNA in 2018. While pursuing his Master of Music degree, he played tenor saxophone with the Cyan Quartet; they finished as finalists in the Coltman Chamber Music Competition, semi-finalists in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and performed Chen Yi’s saxophone quartet concerto, Ba Yin, with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Wind Symphony. He was also a featured soloist with the Louisiana Music Educators Association All-State Orchestra and the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with cover bands and occasional celebrities such as Ginuwine and Robin Thicke, for numerous wedding receptions, corporate events, private parties, festivals, and sporting events including the 2020 Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana.
As an educator, Dufresne has held several teaching positions as a saxophone instructor at middle and high schools across the south Louisiana region. Two of these positions include saxophone instructor at Juban Parc Jr. High School in Juban, Louisiana and Dutchtown High School in Geismar, Louisiana. Throughout his time in Louisiana, he consistently maintained a private studio of 11-15 students, many of which have participated in the LMEA All State ensembles.
Education
BM, Louisiana State University; MM, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; DMA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign