Assistant Professor of the Practice of Music and Technology and Contemporary Music Ensemble Director Pascal Le Boeuf won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition on Feb. 2. Le Boeuf was recognized for his piece, “Strands,” which he composed with the Akropolis Reed Quintet and drummer Christian Euman. 

This was Le Boeuf’s first Grammy, although he was previously nominated twice in the same category, for “Alkaline” in 2018 and “Snapshots” in 2023. “Strands” is featured on Le Boeuf’s 2024 album, “Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?,” which pays tribute to American composers such as Leonard Bernstein and Geri Allen. 

According to Le Boeuf, the composition is a hybrid of jazz and classical music, reflecting his commitment to innovation in contemporary music. He said “Strands” was meant to be an exploration of American identity.

“This project, it’s actually about celebrating the distinctive people involved,” Le Boeuf said. “They don’t have to be unified to be a tapestry. We can recognize the individual threads for what they are and let that exist.”

Le Boeuf described himself as a “patchwork artist” who merges elements of jazz, classical and electronic music. For him, composing is less about conforming to a category and more about discovering himself through music — artistically, politically and personally. It also serves as an opportunity to bridge genres and communities.

“Instead of having these split lives in different artistic communities, I realized I’m in a great position as an artist to bring people together — to create things together from these different artistic communities. I can be the glue that patches together all of these artists,” LeBoeuf said.

Le Boeuf said he wants to continue to challenge the boundaries of contemporary music to foster artistic exploration both on stage and in the classroom. Sophomore Gwendolyn Goetz, a former student of Le Boeuf, expressed appreciation for his composition skills.

“It was just crazy to watch him be in his element,” Goetz said. “He would sit down, and thirty seconds in, he would have a full composition that sounded Grammy-worthy, literally.” 

First-year Sanket Vankayalapati, also one of Le Boeuf’s former students, said he was excellent at coming up with music on the spot. Vankayalapati also said Le Boeuf would inspire curiosity and a willingness to collaborate among his students. 

“[Le Boeuf] has this ability to make his students really passionate about what they like and the music that they’re making, no matter what it is or even if they’re not the most proud of it,” Vankayalapati said. “He just puts all the traits that he has into his music, and he’s able to pass those on to his students very easily.”

When asked what advice he would give to fellow musicians, Le Boeuf recalled trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire’s words: “Take care of the music, and the music will take care of you.” In moments of doubt, which Le Boeuf said are frequent in the music industry, he revisits this mantra to remind himself to remain committed to the music itself. He believes staying true to one’s artistic instinct is paramount.

“Listen to your own thoughts and feelings in any art form, and let that drive your decisions,” Le Boeuf said. “A lot of people don’t think for themselves.”