Biography

Curriculum Vitae:
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Originally from Minersville, PA, Laura M. Kramer (b. 1984) now resides in Los Angeles, CA, where she is active as a composer, saxophonist, and music educator.  Traces of an eclectic range of influences can be found in her music, including rock, jazz, artwork, or nature.  Her performances include those at the California State Fullerton New Music Festival, International Computer Music Conference 60x60 Concerts, Midwest Composers Symposium, Midwest Graduate Music Consortium, North American Saxophone Alliance Conferences, SEAMUS National Conferences, with the USC Contemporary Music Ensemble, and she was featured as a visiting composer at the Western Illinois University New Music Festival.  In addition to writing concert works for soloists, chamber and large ensembles, Laura has also collaborated with modern dance, writers, the Indiana University Kids Compose Project, where she worked with melodies written by elementary students, and wrote music for the Indiana University’s production of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband.  Reading sessions include those with the Indiana University Orchestra and Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, Network for New Music, USC Symphony Orchestra, and West Chester University Symphony Orchestra.  Her work, Different Sorts, commissioned by violinist, Liana Gourdjia and guitarist, Guido Sanchez, was awarded honorable mention in the Margaret Blackburn Competition by Sigma Alpha Iota, and her Warped for sax and electronics is published with Dorn Publications.  Other commissions include those by tubist, Dave Holben, the Quintessential Winds, and Duo Montagnard: with saxophonist, Joseph Murphy and guitarist, Matthew Slotkin.

Laura is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Composition at the University of Southern California, with concentrations in Theory, Saxophone, and Electroacoustic Media.  There, she serves as a teaching assistant in music theory/composition and is also a recipient of the Carolyn Alchin Endowed Music Scholarship.  She holds a Master of Music in Composition from Indiana University (2008), where she served as graduate assistant director of the New Music Ensemble, and earned a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance and Music Theory/Composition from West Chester University of PA (2006). Saxophone teachers include Anthony Kurdilla, Gregory Riley, and James Rötter, and composition teachers include Claude Baker, Don Crockett, Don Freund, Michael Gandolfi, Jeffrey Hass, Robert Maggio, Larry Nelson, Mark Rimple, Brian Shepard, and Frank Ticheli. Saxophone master classes include those with Frederick Hemke, Steven Mauk, Joseph Murphy, Otis Murphy, Marshall Taylor, and composition master classes include those with Cindy Cox, Richard Hundley, David Ward-Steinman, Scott Wheeler.

As a music educator, Laura currently teaches saxophone at Diamond Bar High School, South Pointe Middle School (Diamond Bar, CA), and has a private studio of local students.  She has mentored for the USC Thornton Outreach Program, was a saxophone instructor for the West Chester University Community Music School, and has also taught at Idyllwild Summer Music Camp.  Laura has also guest presented at Mansfield University and West Chester University.

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