Twelve hour days are common for Laura Anderson, a second-year graduate student at the Lamont School of Music.
The full-time violin and harp student also is a graduate teaching assistant, a supervisor at theNewman Center box office, concert master for the Littleton Symphony, teaches private lessons, plays in a string quartet and finds time for her husband, Jarrod.
“It’s all about priorities,” Anderson says. “I can’t do all of it at 110 percent. I get the most important things done and try to be balanced.”
But onlookers say Anderson seems to do everything well. James Maurer, a Lamont violin professor, has known Anderson since she took private violin lessons from him as a child.
“Laura was always good at doing many things very well,” says Maurer, chair of the violin department. “She is very organized and uses her time wisely. As a cute little 9-year-old she was very smart and talented. She matured to become a very responsible adult and a thoughtful, sensitive musician.”
Maurer says Anderson always seemed to know what she wanted to do with her life and how to get there. And what she wants to do is teach children music.
She learned the Suzuki method as an undergraduate student at DU; the program is geared toward teaching music to young children.
“I love teaching music to kids,” she says. “They seem to have an innate love for music.”
While Anderson still wants to complete her master’s in harp and has several jobs to make ends meet, she is well on her way as a teacher. She has 15 violin students already.
“I feel strongly about the Suzuki method,” Anderson says. “When taught well, it can be a really positive influence in someone’s life.”