Laurie Swain graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a master’s degree in organ performance studying with Dr. Paul Hesselink and a bachelor’s degree in organ performance studying with Ethelyn Peterson. She graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. Laurie is a certified teacher in both piano and organ through the Music Teachers National Association. Her piano teachers have included Carol Stivers, Roger Bushell, and N. Jane Tan.
For many years Laurie has taught piano and organ, and she loves teaching students of all ages. She has conducted frequent music pedagogy workshops for both piano and organ in various settings including festivals, conventions, and church music seminars. Laurie is the author of Organ for Primary, an innovative approach for teaching organ to the beginning organ student. Laurie currently serves as the Las Vegas Music Teachers Association State Certification Chairman. Since 2015, she has served as an organ editor for the Federation Festivals Bulletin of the National Federation of Music Clubs. Laurie was recently named an MTNA Foundation Fellow for distinguished service to the music teaching profession.
Laurie feels her greatest accomplishment is having a terrific husband, five beautiful children and nine grandchildren. Her musical expertise has grown with each of her children, who have pursued advanced music degrees and have been recognized in music competitions on various instruments at the local, state, regional and national levels. She has also learned much about teaching and development from her second child who is profoundly mentally delayed with cerebral palsy.