An avid freelance and chamber musician, Laura has performed throughout the United States and internationally. As a chamber musician, Dr. Eakman has collaborated with the assistant concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, Michelle Kim, as well as renowned soloist, Elizabeth Pitcairn. She has worked with the Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane Dance Company, performed with new music ensembles in Colorado, and was a founding member of the Avant Duo, Kylian Quartet, and Camus Quartet which toured the Netherlands in 2009. She has served as assistant principal violist with the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the Lasalle Bank Messiah held at Chicago’s Civic Opera House.

Laura is currently Executive Director of The Music Academy in Rockford, IL, a not-for-profit community school offering Suzuki and traditional lessons and employing 25 teachers. Previous to this role she served as Strings Division Chair at Community School for the Performing Arts at Kansas State University where she founded a Suzuki Program, Chamber Music Program, Summer Camp and taught violin and viola students. Laura has been teaching privately for over 20 years and has taught in the classroom for El Sistema Colorado which serves primarily disadvantaged children in metro Denver as well as private charter schools in Colorado.

Laura received her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder where she served as Erika Eckert’s teaching assistant and studied chamber music with members of the Takacs Quartet. Her doctoral thesis, Teaching the Violin with Purpose: strategies designed to foster musical, cognitive, and social development in low-income students, has been a resource for El Sistema sites, and has been adapted to suit the Suzuki philosophy in a forthcoming article in the American Suzuki Journal. 

Laura received both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Northern Illinois University in music performance and pedagogy where she studied with Richard Young and Anthony Devroye. Additional studies include private instruction with Roger Chase, Mathias Tacke, and chamber coachings Robert Chen, the Vermeer Quartet, and the Jerusalem Quartet. Dr. Eakman's pedagogy training has included Suzuki registration with Ann Montzka-Smelser as well as classes and workshops with Mimi Zweig of Indiana University and Rebecca Henri of Peabody Conservatory.

“Beautiful Heart; Beautiful Tone” - Dr. Shinichi Suzuki

I whole hearted-ly believe in Dr. Suzuki's core ideal that important character traits may be acquired through learning the violin. The dedication, commitment, persistence, and creativity it takes to play an instrument well, continues to enhance every aspect of a persons' life, long after lessons have ended. Just as necessary: humility, patience, understanding and tolerance can be learned through involvement within a like-minded community, such as group lessons and recitals.

Process Driven Learning

Because we are developing much more than just violin technique, importance must be placed on the process of learning instead of a finish line. Essentially, I want my students to understand, how to learn through tackling the everyday obstacles of learning to play the violin at a high level. By mastering practice techniques such as repetition, problem solving, and experimentation, students are able to gain satisfaction and confidence by overcoming difficult challenges and expressing themselves through music. At the same time enormous effort is placed on allowing the student to keep an open mind by creating a positive and non-judgmental environment.

Technique

My goal as a violin and viola teacher is to help my students play their instrument to their highest ability. We establish ideal mental and physical habits from the very first lesson: Posture, remaining tension-free. tone production and left hand organization are stressed. Studies include Suzuki repertoire, exercises, etudes and additional pieces catered to each individual students' needs.