Growing up I never saw myself pursuing a career in music, however, looking back on it now, it seems inevitable: When I was six years old, a group from the London Mozart Players performed an arrangement of Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca at my school. I enjoyed it so much that I went home and sang it to my mother, who sang it to a friend, who luckily knew what it was. She then went out and bought the CD for me! Instances like this, with the benefit of hindsight, makes my career choice seem less surprising.
I began playing the oboe at age eight, not out of choice but because it was the only instrument with a vacancy at my school. However, I took to it immediately because it’s an unusual instrument and there’s a part of me that likes to stand out. I often think it’s incredibly lucky that the instrument I fell into playing happens to suit me so well!
As a teenager, I joined the Hampshire County Youth Orchestra which was a huge inspiration. The orchestra was of an amazing standard and ambitious with repertoire, introducing me to great works such as the Rite of Spring and Shostakovich’s Symphony No.10. It also provided me with lifelong friends. The wonderful experience with this orchestra was really the first spark that eventually drew me to a life of music.
I graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2019 with a first class Bachelor of Music degree. While I was studying, I discovered a love of chamber music and was fortunate enough to have many opportunities to develop this. Some highlights were performing in the BBC Radio 3 Total Immersion concert series and being a resident chamber ensemble in the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival and Tunnell Trust’s Music Coll with my wind quintet. In the summer of 2019, I was an artist in the Spanish Chamber Music Festival, Encuentro de Musica y Academia de Santander which was a particularly inspiring and transformative experience. I also really enjoy orchestral work, particularly opera. Particular highlights are performing with the Dorset Opera Festival Orchestra and Guildhall Session Orchestra.
Music has always been about enjoyment and I look forward to sharing that enthusiasm with others in the coming year!
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
London, UK
What is your favourite piece of music and why do you love it?
I don’t really have one favourite piece but one that has always stuck with me is The Ecstasy of Gold from the The Good the Bad and the Ugly soundtrack. It’s uplifting, has lots of brass and percussion and influences from popular music: The piece makes you feel powerful!
Where’s your favourite place to listen to music and why?
In my bedroom because nobody can see the dancing!
Tell us something about yourself that might surprise us.
I have a passionate and irrational dislike for raisins.
Laura is a member of the 2020-2021 fellowship.