About Laura Rexroth
Laura Rexroth's ensembles are consistently praised for warmth of tone, musicality, and great care for the composer's intent. In addition to regularly scheduled concerts, her bands have performed for numerous special occasions and guests, including Jane Goodall, Warren Burger, Lady Margaret Thatcher and HRH Prince Charles.
She joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin - Parkside in 2014. As Associate Professor and Director of Bands, she conducts the Wind Ensemble and the Community Band, the annual High School Honor Band, the Commencement Ensemble, and teaches world music, conducting, music history, music theory, and courses in music education.
While Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she conducted the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band, and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, wind repertoire, wind history, and a summer instrumental conducting workshop.
Under Dr. Rexroth's leadership, the University of Massachusetts Wind Ensemble accepted invitations to perform at the College Band Directors National Association Eastern Division Conference at Montclair State University, NJ; at the 50th MENC Eastern Division Biennial In-Service Conference in Hartford, CT; and the CBDNA Eastern Division Conference in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Rexroth received her bachelor's degree in music education from St. Olaf College (MN) where she studied conducting with Miles Johnson, horn with Miles Johnson, and piano with Nancy Paddleford. She received her master's degree in conducting from Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music where she studied conducting with John Paynter and horn with Gene Chausow. She received the Doctor of Music in wind conducting from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, where she studied conducting with Ray Cramer and David Effron, jazz with David Baker, and music history with A. Peter Brown and J. Peter Burkholder.
Rexroth was selected twice by national audition to study with Paul Vermel at the Aspen School of Music. She was selected to participate in the International Conductors Workshop in Zlin, Czech Republic, where she worked with Kirk Trevor and the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic. She has been selected to participate in numerous League of American Orchestras (formerly American Symphony Orchestra League), Conductors Guild, and additional conducting workshops, working with Michael Charry, Samuel Jones, Frederick Fennell, Lukas Foss, Evan Whallon, John Farrer, Donald Hunsberger, H. Robert Reynolds, Daniel Lewis, Craig Kirchhoff and Gustav Meier.
While at Indiana, Rexroth was awarded the Cooke Conducting Fellowship and the Hindsley Award. She has been presented with an honorary membership in Tau Beta Sigma. And she has received the Thelma Robinson Conducting Award from the Conductors Guild and the National Federation of Music Clubs, and a Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association.
Dr. Rexroth has been invited to guest conduct numerous all-city, district, regional, and all-state bands in several states, as well as the St. Olaf Band, the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music Symphonic Band, Valley Festival Brass (MA), the U.S. Army Field Band, the United States Military Academy Band, the Virginia Symphony, the Colorado Intercollegiate Band, the U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own), the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Band, and the Tactical Air Command Band. She has also been on the conducting faculty of the Hooked on Bands/New Horizons Band Camp in Door County, WI.
An advocate for new music, Rexroth has commissioned and conducted works from Tim Mahr, Ryan George, James Crowley, Anthony O'Toole, Daren Hagen, Charles Bestor, Emmanuel Rueben, Edgar Williams, Sophia Serghi, and Dana Wilson, and conducted separate premiers by Charles Bestor, Evan Haas, Kevin Walczyk and Salvatore Macchia. She has presented/conducted lecture recitals with a mix of faculty and students performers on the music of Igor Stravinsky and Charles Ives. She invited composer Steven Bryant for a multi-day workshop for student composers and performers at UMass, culminating in a performance of his works. She enjoys hosting composers in rehearsals, where they can collaborate and give feedback directly to the musicians.
As a musician who is very passionate about conducting pedagogy and rehearsal technique, Rexroth has been invited to teach at conducting workshops in Missouri, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Massachusetts. She also enjoys collaborating with guest artists and conductors and has worked with Ray Cramer, Allison Hull, Gaudete Brass, Amy Bouterse, Russ Johnson, Suzanne Geoffrey, Dave Bayles, Jim Ripley, Ed Shaughnessy, JoAnn Falletta, Paul Vermel, Miles Johnson, Harris Simon, The Motion Poets, Howard Curtis, Stephanie Nikasian, William Garlette, John Lindberg, Tim Holtan, Virginia Allen, Ryan Fletcher, John Bourque, Phil Koch, Roland Dowdy, Christine Niehaus, David Sporny, Eric Berlin, Jeff Holmes, Fred Cohen, and Jana Batty.
Dr. Rexroth has been Director of Bands at high schools in Minnesota and Massachusetts, and continues her strong commitment to music education through teaching, adjudicating, conducting youth ensembles, run-out concerts/workshops, and organizing/conducting festivals for high school musicians. At the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, she teaches several music education courses and supervises student teachers, and hosts an annual High School Honor Band - bringing seventy students from two states to campus each January.
An active performer on horn and piano, Rexroth has played horn professionally with the Williamsburg Symphonia (VA) and the Rochester Symphony (MN). She enjoys accompanying and coaching young musicians in solo repertoire - particularly her violinist daughter.
She has previously taught on the faculties of The National College of Education (IL), Central College (IA), The College of William and Mary (VA), and the University of Massachusetts - Amherst.
She joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin - Parkside in 2014. As Associate Professor and Director of Bands, she conducts the Wind Ensemble and the Community Band, the annual High School Honor Band, the Commencement Ensemble, and teaches world music, conducting, music history, music theory, and courses in music education.
While Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she conducted the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band, and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, wind repertoire, wind history, and a summer instrumental conducting workshop.
Under Dr. Rexroth's leadership, the University of Massachusetts Wind Ensemble accepted invitations to perform at the College Band Directors National Association Eastern Division Conference at Montclair State University, NJ; at the 50th MENC Eastern Division Biennial In-Service Conference in Hartford, CT; and the CBDNA Eastern Division Conference in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Rexroth received her bachelor's degree in music education from St. Olaf College (MN) where she studied conducting with Miles Johnson, horn with Miles Johnson, and piano with Nancy Paddleford. She received her master's degree in conducting from Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music where she studied conducting with John Paynter and horn with Gene Chausow. She received the Doctor of Music in wind conducting from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, where she studied conducting with Ray Cramer and David Effron, jazz with David Baker, and music history with A. Peter Brown and J. Peter Burkholder.
Rexroth was selected twice by national audition to study with Paul Vermel at the Aspen School of Music. She was selected to participate in the International Conductors Workshop in Zlin, Czech Republic, where she worked with Kirk Trevor and the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic. She has been selected to participate in numerous League of American Orchestras (formerly American Symphony Orchestra League), Conductors Guild, and additional conducting workshops, working with Michael Charry, Samuel Jones, Frederick Fennell, Lukas Foss, Evan Whallon, John Farrer, Donald Hunsberger, H. Robert Reynolds, Daniel Lewis, Craig Kirchhoff and Gustav Meier.
While at Indiana, Rexroth was awarded the Cooke Conducting Fellowship and the Hindsley Award. She has been presented with an honorary membership in Tau Beta Sigma. And she has received the Thelma Robinson Conducting Award from the Conductors Guild and the National Federation of Music Clubs, and a Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association.
Dr. Rexroth has been invited to guest conduct numerous all-city, district, regional, and all-state bands in several states, as well as the St. Olaf Band, the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music Symphonic Band, Valley Festival Brass (MA), the U.S. Army Field Band, the United States Military Academy Band, the Virginia Symphony, the Colorado Intercollegiate Band, the U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own), the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Band, and the Tactical Air Command Band. She has also been on the conducting faculty of the Hooked on Bands/New Horizons Band Camp in Door County, WI.
An advocate for new music, Rexroth has commissioned and conducted works from Tim Mahr, Ryan George, James Crowley, Anthony O'Toole, Daren Hagen, Charles Bestor, Emmanuel Rueben, Edgar Williams, Sophia Serghi, and Dana Wilson, and conducted separate premiers by Charles Bestor, Evan Haas, Kevin Walczyk and Salvatore Macchia. She has presented/conducted lecture recitals with a mix of faculty and students performers on the music of Igor Stravinsky and Charles Ives. She invited composer Steven Bryant for a multi-day workshop for student composers and performers at UMass, culminating in a performance of his works. She enjoys hosting composers in rehearsals, where they can collaborate and give feedback directly to the musicians.
As a musician who is very passionate about conducting pedagogy and rehearsal technique, Rexroth has been invited to teach at conducting workshops in Missouri, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Massachusetts. She also enjoys collaborating with guest artists and conductors and has worked with Ray Cramer, Allison Hull, Gaudete Brass, Amy Bouterse, Russ Johnson, Suzanne Geoffrey, Dave Bayles, Jim Ripley, Ed Shaughnessy, JoAnn Falletta, Paul Vermel, Miles Johnson, Harris Simon, The Motion Poets, Howard Curtis, Stephanie Nikasian, William Garlette, John Lindberg, Tim Holtan, Virginia Allen, Ryan Fletcher, John Bourque, Phil Koch, Roland Dowdy, Christine Niehaus, David Sporny, Eric Berlin, Jeff Holmes, Fred Cohen, and Jana Batty.
Dr. Rexroth has been Director of Bands at high schools in Minnesota and Massachusetts, and continues her strong commitment to music education through teaching, adjudicating, conducting youth ensembles, run-out concerts/workshops, and organizing/conducting festivals for high school musicians. At the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, she teaches several music education courses and supervises student teachers, and hosts an annual High School Honor Band - bringing seventy students from two states to campus each January.
An active performer on horn and piano, Rexroth has played horn professionally with the Williamsburg Symphonia (VA) and the Rochester Symphony (MN). She enjoys accompanying and coaching young musicians in solo repertoire - particularly her violinist daughter.
She has previously taught on the faculties of The National College of Education (IL), Central College (IA), The College of William and Mary (VA), and the University of Massachusetts - Amherst.