Laura is the Director of the YMI Suzuki School of Music in Peoria, Illinois. She has been
teaching violin lessons in the Peoria area for 25+ years and directs the Dolce String
Ensemble. A member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), Laura has
received training at the American Suzuki Institute, Chicago Suzuki Institute, and the Colorado
Suzuki Institute.
Laura studied violin performance at Bradley University, studying
with Marcia Henry Liebenow and graduate work at Illinois State University with Sarah Gentry. She was the winner of the Bradley Concerto-Aria Competition and recipient of the prestigious Presser Scholar Award. She has performed with the Bradley Symphony Orchestra (concertmaster), Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Heartland Festival Orchestra, Opera Illinois Orchestra, Aria International Music Academy, Nebraska Chamber Music Institute, and Domaine Forget International Music Academy. She enjoys freelancing with her string quartet, Heart Strings, throughout Central Illinois.