Bio
As a Marimbist/Percussionist/Drummer/Theatre Performer/Producer/Backing Vocalist, Laura always felt the love to accessory something extra to her performances. Jury’s praised these performances as “An impressive performance of total theater.” And “Whenever she is on stage, something magical happens” - Jury Prix du Port 2009, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds 2019. This magical mixture of music and theatre, made her walk a different path and resulted into the performer Laura is nowadays.
Laura graduated high school, Bachelor and Master at Codarts, Conservatory of Music Rotterdam with a 9 out of 10, and 9,5 out of 10. During her study’s she participated in different musical competitions and won several final, jury, audience and press prizes at the Princess Christina Concours (2005, 2007, 2009), MCN prize for best performance of modern music 2009, Eurovision Young Musician 2007, Prix du Port 2009, the YAMAHA Percussion Scholarship 2013, the Grachtenfestival Conservatory Concours 2013, Grote Kamermuziek Prijs in 2015 and several nominations in the top10 Benelux POP percussionists of the Slagwerkkrant Polls 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. After she got admitted to the Orchestra Academy of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, she became a regular guest player with the Radio Philharmonic, Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Ballet Orkest, Asko|Schonberg ensemble, Slagwerk Den Haag and toured in Austria, France, Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria and North America.Laura attended masterclasses by Raymond Curfs, Bogdan Bacanu, Julie Spencer, Emmanuel Séjourné, Keiko Abe, Tchiki Duo and festivals like YPP Bulgaria 2010, ZMF 2010. Percussion Friends 2016 and Classical Next 2017.
Thanks to the masterclasses, festivals and awards, Laura became a frequently asked soloist in De Doelen Rotterdam, Rotterdamse Schouwburg, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Tivoli Vredenburg, and started to appear regularly on Radio and TV in various news and music programs like Maestro, Podium Witteman, DWDD, It Takes Two, Podium on Tour, Koffietijd, Tijd voor Max, Het uur van de Wolf, Spijkers met Koppen, all (live) broadcasted on Radio1, Radio4, NPO, VPRO, VARA, BRAVA, BNN, NTR and RTL 4. Some of these programs broadcasted Laura as a soloist with the National Youth Orchestra in 2005, Rotterdam Chamber Orchestra in 2007, National Ballet Orchestra in 2016 conducted by Jurjen Hempel, Conrad van Alphen and Ivan Meylemans. Thanks to this visibility Laura got an invitation by the VPRO, to make an episode for an educational tv program called Klokhuis in 2016, where she educated children about classical percussion and concerts.
As a percussion teacher, Laura is very experienced with students in different ages, with special needs, and children with learning challenges. She also became a permanent jury member for The Dutch Music Competition for children aged 0-12 years. With her eagerness and passion, she creates a pleasant environment that allows the student(s) to feel serene and safe for their musical and personal levels to increase.
Laura felt the urge to explore her own ideas and music. This resulted in Lip Stick Percussion Duo, which she founded in 2015 with her best friend and Spanish percussionist Maria Martinez Paya, where they mixed classical percussion with theatrical elements and a feminine touch. Slowly she expanded her expertise in the classical/pop and theatre field and she started working at the Toneelgroep de Appel, Cabaret duo Harteveld en Fretz, Theatre Hotel Courage, Hotel Modern, ISH dance collective and more. This resulted in permanent positions as a drummer at Herman van Veen’s production, percussionist with Neo Fanfare 9×13, percussionist for the Toppers in Concert, drummer/percussionist/backing vocalist with Thomas Acda and performer/percussionist at the production GOUD from the Dutch National Opera and Ballet.
The focus on the theatrical aspects of her performances and the reactions of her audience activated a deep interest in how music or frequencies work with the body and mind. Laura followed courses with Eckhart Tolle, Rajshree Patel, Michael Pilarczyk, Deepak Chopra and Wim Hof. She traveled to a meditation center in a remote village in Guatemala where the marimba has deep roots in the Mayan culture. Here Laura spends 2 months investigating how to connect her passions of music, theater and consciousness. Her solo performance Songs in Wood is the first result of this research. In addition to this research, Laura founded the Innersea Company Foundation, in collaboration with director Jos Groenier. The foundation will realize music theatre performances where “…we show the power and defaults of the human mind, the ‘innersea’ of us. We want the audience to feel how powerful they are to live a healthy, connected and loving life…”
Laura is currently developing her sound healing research in Canada, Toronto in combination with awareness training such as ice baths, meditation and breathwork. This has resulted into Waves of Gold, from where she devolops sound baths and meditation concerts.
Since Janyary 2021 Laura is proud to be an ambassador for Adams Musical Instruments. She plays the custom-made, all white, Bogdan Bacanu signature Alpha Adams Marimba. For more information about Laura and her projects please visit her social media platforms.