Abdon Laus

Abdon Laus (April 8, 1888, in Algiers – July 29, 1945, in Newton, Massachusetts) was an Algerian-born American bassoonist and saxophonist who was principal bassoon for the Boston Symphony Orchestra and founder of the Boston Saxophone Orchestra. Trained in Paris, France, Laus "received first prize from the conservatory of Paris" in 1910. While in France, he appeared as soloist with Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and the Paris Opera. He came to the United States in 1918 with the French Military Band of the Garde Republicaine, who performed in Boston's Symphony Hall under the auspices of the United States War Department, and remained here, joining the Boston Symphony Orchestra as a replacement musician when the Orchestra removed 18 German players for being enemy aliens.