Lara Lawrence is new to the Huntsville area as of July 2023. She is a professional accompanist and has been teaching piano for over 35 years. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University back  in 1988. She began playing the piano at age 5, started accompanying at age 12, and began teaching at age 18 during college. 

Her career consists of playing professionally for more than 20 musical productions for public schools, universities and community theater. She has played for dozens of churches and most recently held the church pianist position for a large Baptist church in Knoxville, Tennessee for more than 17 years.  During her career, she has also accompanied many bands and orchestras, as well as hundreds of soloists, choirs, strings, woodwinds and brass instrumentalists. During COVID, she recorded piano solos for elderly shut-ins who were unable to attend church. 

Ms. Lawrence received a division I rating at both district and state level piano competitions in her native state of Michigan. She was invited to perform in the honors band and honors orchestra performances with her peers from the state. Most recently, she had the honor of playing with Keyboards at Christmas at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium where she played with four other pianists together on stage. 

Ms. Lawrence served as the festival chairman for the state of Tennessee from 2015-2019, and the chairman of the Knoxville Federation Festival from 2012-2023. Each year, her students enter festival auditions in the spring semester and work toward earning trophies for piano solo, piano duet and theory events. 

Ms. Lawrence is a member of several professional groups: Music Teachers National Association, Alabama Music Teachers Association, Huntsville Music Teacher Association, National Federation of Music Clubs , Tennessee Federation of Music Clubs, Knoxville Music Club and the Huntsville Music Study Club.