Equally adept at both the classical and jazz repertoire, saxophonist Dr. Paul J. Forsyth has performed in a variety of venues around the world. He has been a soloist, chamber musician, and adjudicator at North American Saxophone Alliance Conferences, World Saxophone Congresses, John Donald Robb Composer Symposiums, and numerous music festivals and universities. As a chamber musician, Paul Forsyth is a member of two renowned ensembles, the Three Reeds Duo and the Iridium Quartet. Each ensemble has commissioned numerous pieces and has released multiple recordings, the most recent albums being Metamorphosis and Skylines respectively.  

Over the past two decades, Paul has dedicated much artistry to commissioning new works for saxophone.  From solo saxophone to chamber works, developing new repertoire for the saxophone continues to be one of his passions. With duo partner, oboist Leah Forsyth, the Three Reeds Duo has developed a vast library of commissions for oboe/saxophone duo. They have commissioned such composers as Peter Lieuwen, Marcus Maroney, Alyssa Morris, and Gregory Wanamaker. As the tenor saxophonist of the Iridium Quartet, Paul has also been a part of numerous commissioning projects working with composers such as David Maslanka and Carl Schimmel.   

As a top-call saxophonist in northern Louisiana, Paul has performed with such performers as the Temptations, Regis Philbin, and Bobby Vinton. He also leads his own jazz ensemble, the Forsyth Jazz Collective, consisting of a collection of professional and student jazz musicians in the Natchitoches, LA area. From 2017-2018, Paul served as the NASA (North American Saxophone Alliance) Competition Committee Chairman and most recently in 2024 co-hosted the 3rd ever International Duo Symposium (IDS). 

Dr. Paul Forsyth joined the faculty of Northwestern State University in the fall of 2007 and currently serves as Professor of Saxophone. In the past, he has been on the faculties of Albion College, Spring Arbor University, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. He received his doctoral and master’s degrees in saxophone performance from Michigan State University and his bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Tennessee. His primary professors include Joseph Lulloff, Diego Rivera, Ron Blake, and Mark Tucker. Dr. Forsyth is a Yamaha Performing Artist and his favorite pastime is taking his son to the driving range on Fridays after school.