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LAWRENCE
STRING
ACADEMY
Premiere Lessons in Violin and Viola
Diedra Lawrence, violist
"I believe that music is the perfect vehicle for self discovery"
A native of New York City, violist Diedra Lawrence received her degrees in music from New York's Manhattan School of Music and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, Texas. During her studies with James Dunham, Leonard Davis and Karen Ritscher, Ms. Lawrence developed her teaching method which focuses on achieving excellence in performance by balancing the creative spirit with the demands of the intellect and the design of the human body.
Ms. Lawrence has held teaching positions at The City College of New York, Texas A&M University, Prairie View A&M University and Blinn College. Her performance experience is extensive and varied, including solo recitals, concertos, chamber music and orchestral performances, as well as studio work, Broadway shows and recordings.
A founding member of the Marian Anderson String Quartet, Ms. Lawrence made history as a member of the first African-American String quartet to win a competition in the classical field. (1991 Cleveland Quartet Competition at the Eastman School of Music). Named in honor of the legendary contralto Marian Anderson, the MASQ celebrates her legacy by continuing to inspire social and cultural awareness through the arts.
Ms. Lawrence currently resides in Bryan, TX where she has been teaching and performing since 2001.
The Lawrence String Academy
Founded in 2018, The Lawrence String Academy focuses on complete education and believes actively in the old adage "it takes a village" The music teacher is an essential part of the community helping a young person develop into an adult of passion, power and clarity.
Students of the Lawrence String Academy have won solo competitions and hold high ranking in Region and State orchestra. Some have chosen to pursue music professionally. Many others have received large scholarships from their colleges of choice to participate in university orchestras.
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