Laurie’s interest in piccolo
goes back to her high school marching band days, where early on, she
realized the futility of being heard on flute during football home game
half-time shows. Another perk of playing a small instrument included
being able to protect it from inclement weather when parades got rained out,
by storing the piccolo in her shako. Her training on piccolo started
back in
Los Angeles, where she studied for many years on full
scholarship with Miles Zentner, former Principal Piccolo with the Los
Angeles Philharmonic. Later studies included working with Walfrid Kujala,
former reknowned Principal Piccolo of the Chicago Symphony, and the late
Geoffrey Gilbert.
Longtime member of the Hampton Roads’ musical
community, Laurie Baefsky has been playing piccolo and flute with the
Virginia Symphony and Virginia Opera Orchestra since 1989. Prior to
moving to Hampton Roads, Laurie served as Co-Principal Flute with the New
World Symphony in Miami Beach,
FL, under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.
Originally from Los Angeles,
CA, Laurie received her Bachelor of Music degree from
California State
University, Fullerton and her
Masters of Music from University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor,
as a student of Leone Buyse.
During her tenure with
The Virginia Symphony, she has been a
featured soloist with the orchestra on both piccolo and flute, and can be
heard on the numerous recordings issued by the Virginia Symphony.
Laurie has been an integral part of
Hampton Road’s chamber music community, having
performed with the Virginia Chorale, Norfolk Chamber Consort, and Virginia
Chamber Players, as well as playing multiple Familiar Faces solo and chamber
recitals at Virginia
Wesleyan College.
With a keen interest in collaboration and diverse musical genres, over the
years Laurie helped co-found Banquet of Musik, dedicated period
instrument performance; Siren, a mixed instrumentation
improvisational ensemble; and the “forgettable” Yarmouth Street
Multicultural Celtic Band. Her solo work can be heard (and seen)
on the soon-to-be-released (April 2005) CD and DVD, Geenyoch,
featuring the music and commissioned flute sonata of Dr. Jennifer Margaret
Barker.
As an educator, Laurie served for many years on the faculties
of Christopher Newport University,
Virginia Wesleyan College, and the Governor’s School for the
Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts, in residence at
University of Richmond.
Currently, she balances her creative energies between her commitments with
the Virginia Symphony and heading up the Education Department at the
Virginia Arts Festival. As Education Director, Laurie has created and
implemented residencies for Dance Theatre of Harlem, Guthrie Theater, Mark
Morris Dance Group, and the Martha Graham Dance Company, to name a few.
