Riley LePere: The Multi-Instrumentalist, Soothing, Saxophone Serenader

Graphic by Sofia Giarrusso

by Delaney Roberts

You're reading the wrong article if you’re looking for a story about a young boy who picks up an instrument and becomes a prodigy. Rather, up-and-coming saxophonist, composer, and producer Riley LePere’s transition from law school to full-time musicianship is unlike any other.

Within the quaint walls of the Nathálie wine bar, his soothing jazz echoes as claps proceed the conclusion of each song. LePere and drummer Aidan Shapero are perfectly synced, exchanging glances between each moment of silence. Once finished with his calming performance at the Nathálie, LePere packs away his brown electric guitar. His red, orange, and white button-down shirt complements his brown hair and blue eyes. 

Born and raised in Westminster, South Carolina, twenty-three-year-old LePere started experimenting with instruments in the fourth grade.  “I tried the recorder, and I was generationally bad at it. I couldn’t figure it out,” LePere reminisces. After his short-lived experience with the woodwind, he decided, “Okay, I guess music’s not for me.” 

A few short years later, his mother forced him to join the middle school band. He remembers that the band instructors gave him a saxophone and a method book, put him in a storage closet, and told him to figure it out. “It took me a while, but I did figure it out,” he says. LePere auditioned for South Carolina’s prestigious Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities in high school and was accepted. This is where he had his biggest improvement as a musician. After graduating high school, LePere left music behind and enrolled at Southwestern Carolina University to study law. There, he took Constitutional Thought and Theory which he says was challenging. LePere says he deeply admires the professor who taught it. Little did he know this professor would change his life. 

Eventually, LePere’s professor contacted him and said that he liked his essay and wanted to get to know him better. They spoke over the phone and LePere mentioned his love for music but how studying law was the safer option. A week after their conversation, LePere says he received a letter from his professor in his campus mailbox. Without LePere asking, his professor bought him a plane ticket to Boston so that he could audition for Berklee College of Music. His former professor even paid the application fee for the audition. 

By the grace of his fairy-god-professor, LePere practiced for months for his audition. It had to be perfect. He remembers, “I needed a certain amount of scholarship money because Berklee is expensive. Living in Boston is expensive. My family doesn’t have a lot of money, so I’m on my own.” So he gave it his all, practicing every day and night, leaving administration with no choice but to let him in. 

“One night, I was doing my law school accounting homework at 2:30 in the morning and got an email with my admissions decision [from Berklee]. I got in.” With his account homework still in front of him, LePere plugged the numbers into his calculator. He says, “I barely had enough [scholarships] to make it work.” Leaving the “security” of law school for an education and career in the arts was a huge risk LePere was willing to take. Music doesn’t provide as much stability as a regular nine-to-five job. Most local musicians independently publish their work without the support of a label promoting them. They must work twice as hard for the recognition they deserve.

With his future taking a surprising turn from law school to Berklee College, he decided to celebrate the news. “I got all happy and everything. I went to Wendy’s and ate some chicken nuggets, and then the next day I was like, ‘Okay, this is what I’m doing,’” he exclaims.

Upon informing his parents about this complete 360-transition from law school to music, LePere states, “Their whole thing is that they want me to be happy. They want me to have a safe and secure life. They weren’t enthusiastic about the idea at first, but once it became clear that I would do this regardless, they came around.” He understood his parents’ weariness because of the all-too-common stereotype about musicians– you’re either Beyonce…or you’re broke. Ultimately, LePere has found his middle ground. He balanced school and work, and with that came the support of his parents. “I had to work some crappy jobs while l was in school. I was a security guard, I worked at Taco Bell, but now I make a very solid income,” LePere says. 

The saxophone is LePere’s specialty, and he also plays the flute, clarinet, guitar, bass, piano, and, sometimes, drums. Although his talent plays a crucial part in his musical ability, his dedication overtakes that, allowing him to experiment with new sounds until he finds his groove. Genre isn’t a problem for him when he performs live. He has no issues switching between jazz, pop, country, post-rock, blues, and more at the drop of a hat. 

LePere describes his music as “high-effort ambient.” “Not to say other ambient music is low effort,” he claims, “For me, [music] is focused more on texture than compositional content. [It’s] a combination of sounds rather than traditional melody-harmony.” His music transports listeners to a soothing realm where all their troubles temporarily melt as the velvety sound of a saxophone, guitar, and other instruments carries them away. “When I write my original music, it starts with guitar every time. The guitar is such a limited instrument. For me, the limitation breeds creativity. The guitar is weird.” 

The categorization of “high-effort ambient” was derived from LePere’s roommate and fellow musician, Ryan Waller. Waller and LePere became roommates after attending the same Berklee College orientation group in the fall of 2020. As musicians, their art and creative process seep into their home life. “Riley is very much a writer and producer, whereas I’m more of an engineer,” says Waller. “I like the recording process and Riley likes writing, especially within the DAWs [Digital Audio Workstation].” 

Although they often work independently, Waller and LePere add to each other’s music with their unique skills. Waller declares, “I bring Riley on for projects with guitar and saxophone all the time. Most recently, he helped me write a song for class, which was a fun session where I put forth the lyrics and the ideas. We bantered off each other.” 

Waller claims, “When I hear ambient music, I hear a lot of sound design and spacious vibes. [LePere] brings a lot of that to his music, but how he does it feels very high-ambient because I know what goes into it. The harmony is what gets me. He’s a harmony nut. His music is enveloping.”

“Riley always has a vision of what he wants. When creating that vision, he makes more art along the way. He’s very quick with his creative process. I'm a lot slower. I like writing lyrics because I can sit down and think about every little detail while Riley knows exactly what he wants.”

LePere’s versatility with instruments makes him a unique musician capable of anything he puts his mind to. He was once asked if he could do a heater pit gig. They wanted him to play the tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, clarinet, and bass clarinet. At the time, LePere had never played clarinet or bass clarinet, but he took the gig regardless.  He bought both clarinets, taught himself to play them, and performed in the theater pit. Trial and error is LePere’s go-to method when it comes to his craft. If he can’t do it one way, he’ll take an alternative route. Giving up isn’t an option when it comes to his passion. Waller, who witnessed determination and subsequent performance, declares LePere played the instruments as if he’s been playing them forever. 

When LePere first entered the music scene, he said yes to every opportunity. He still takes almost any gig offered, but for the experience rather than the sole purpose of collecting a few coins, saying, “I have the luxury now to say ‘no’, and I’m still going to be able to afford my rent. It’s great.” His work hours are a little over the average nine-to-five, however, he’s getting good pay while doing what he loves, which is being around music whether he’s playing, listening, or creating.

 After graduating from Berklee College in 2023, LePere teaches music four days a week, plays gigs at local Boston venues such as The Lily Pad, playing with bands like Makeout Palace, and, of course, creates his own music. However, gigs go out of season, venues go out of business, and bands break up. Teaching is the most convenient way for LePere to maintain a steady income. 

Fortunately, LePere likes teaching. He says, “My approach is to identify the student's goal, create different ways to achieve it, and throw exercises at them until I can determine their learning style.” His unique approach helps him grow as a musician because his students offer perspectives he may not have considered. Correcting his student's mistakes helps him correct the mistakes he may gloss over when playing. 

When I signed up for guitar lessons, I assumed I’d be judged by a pretentious teacher who has no interest in who I am or what music I like. Little did I know I’d fall in love with LePere’s teaching style. He met me where I was in my guitar knowledge, which was scant. He listened to what type of music I liked and incorporated it into our lessons. I vividly remember trying to hide the beaming smile on my face when he taught me how to play “all-american bitch” by Olivia Rodrigo, one of my favorite artists. His untraditional approach to teaching helped mold me into the guitar player I am today. With his help, I’m surely on track to win a Grammy sometime soon. 

LePere’s ego is far removed from his teaching; his only priority in those moments is to help his students grow. He lives for the aha moment. The moment when the teaching exercises he’s been throwing finally stick. 

LePere reminisces about a student he taught weekly for six months. His student was having trouble keeping up with the rhythm of the metronome. They spent sessions clapping to the metronome, hoping he’d catch on. When he finally got it, LePere felt like a new person, jumping for joy at his student's advancement. Since then, his former student has nurtured his talents and the two went their separate ways. He says, “The best thing about teaching is when someone finally gets it. Knowing music on a deep level is such an awesome feeling. I want to share that feeling with my students.”

At the ripe age of twenty-three, the multi-instrumentalist has his whole life ahead of him with endless possibilities. LePere faces his future head-on; going wherever the wind takes him (and his saxophone). He says, “I want to keep doing the best job possible at everything I do now. Whatever opportunities present themselves, I’ll go for it. I'm sharing music with people and playing music with my friends. It's great. I'm like the luckiest guy in the whole world for it.”