The Becker-Lessard Guitar Duo has performed throughout the United States, Canada and England since 2012. Their programs are innovative and eclectic, incorporating compositions that have been written specifically for the duo, as well as standard repertoire for two guitars and transcriptions from a wide variety of sources. The duo has conducted workshops and coaching sessions at schools and festivals. They have collaborated with larger chamber groups and have performed double guitar concertos for orchestra and guitar orchestra. For the past few seasons they have been artists in residence at Susan E. Wagner High School for the Performing Arts. Among composers who have written music for them are Alan Hirsh and Canadian composer Michael Spiroff.
LAURA LESSARD studied the piano at an early age with her father, composer John Lessard. She began her guitar studies at the age of thirteen with Stefano Michelucci and continued her musical training at The Longy School of Music and The Manhattan School of Music studying with Alfred Street, Sharon Isbin, Howard Morgan, Jerry Willard and Fred Hand.
Since then Laura has performed on both the guitar and lute in the United States, Canada and England both as a soloist and a chamber musician. She was a founding member of the Artesian Guitar Quartet, has performed extensively with Harris Becker in the Becker-Lessard Guitar Duo, was guest soloist with the Adelphi Chorus and has accompanied flutists and singers in programs ranging from Renaissance music to 21st century compositions. She performed on steady basis in shows for Young Audiences throughout the five boroughs of NYC and she has been a frequent performer at the Midsummer Music Dream Festival in Quebec, Canada since 2006.
In addition to her work as a performer Laura has been on the faculty of the Bronx House Music School, The Guitar Workshop, The Bay School of Music and The Usdan Center for the Performing Arts. She was a founding member and artistic director of The Oberon Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to promoting the arts and artists on Long Island. She has been artist-in-residence with Harris Becker at the Susan E. Wagner High School for the Arts since 2023.
HARRIS BECKER has had a rich and varied career as a guitarist and lutenist. As a young musician studying the classical guitar he had a fascination with improvisation, which led him to explore jazz. He also had a strong interest in contemporary music, which offered him the opportunity to work closely with composers and premiere many solo and ensemble pieces throughout his career. Among the composers who have dedicated works to him are Carlo Domeniconi, Hayley Savage, Raoul Pleskow, Howard Rovics, microtonal composer Johnny Reinhard, Alan Hirsh, Michael Frassetti, Joseph Russo, Richard Iacona and Michael Spiroff.
Harris Becker has performed extensively both as a soloist and chamber musician giving concerts and master classes throughout the United States, Europe, South America, Mexico, Asia and Canada. Concerts and master classes and include Radford University International Guitar Festival, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Mannes Guitar Seminar, Bristol Guitar Society (UK), Mahidol University (Bangkok), U.S Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Bermuda Guitar Festival and the Saigon International Guitar Festival.
In 1993 Mr. Becker founded the Long Island Guitar Festival, of which the New York Times wrote: "The "Long Island" in the festival title clearly refers to its location and origins, rather than to its scope"(2014). He has been a faculty member at Long Island University (Director of Guitar Studies), Nassau Community College and at The Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.
Harris Becker is co-founder and artistic director of the summer music festival in rural Quebec "Songe d'été en Musique". Now celebrating its twentieth anniversary. His recordings include "Catgut Flambo" with guitarist Pasquale Bianculli, a solo CD "Passing Through and a new CD with the Artesian Guitar Quartet." He is part of the Becker/Lessard Guitar Duo and the Artesian Guitar Quartet.
“Becker’s performance of this demanding work (from Kakadu) a depiction of one of Australia’s national parks – is lyrical and imaginative” —Raymond Tuttle, Classical.net.
“Bach - BWV 998… the lilting prelude, the masterful building of the fugue and bright, fast-flowing allegro all pose great difficulties in voicing and positional play that Harris dealt with carefully and easily.” —Bristol Guitar Society (UK)