Laura started conservatory piano lessons and playing a kid's drum kit in her basement at seven years old. She expanded into choral work and clarinet in high school. University showed her the wonders of medieval and contemporary classical music (as well as veterinary medicine). Shaped by listening to bebop, swing, jazz, musicals, Chinese opera, and various Asian music in her family home, and top 40, prog rock, Motown and classical with friends, she had wide-ranging tastes and practice in her music. She became more focused on percussion after joining Samba Nova, learning Brazilian and African rhythms from its leader, Matthieu Keijser. After volunteering at Atlantic Jazzfest for almost 20 years, she joined the Creative Music Workshop to learn more about spontaneous improvisation / composition from its leader, Jerry Granelli. Jerry was her teacher, mentor and friend for 8 years until he died. He encouraged her to make her own drum kit. Not having the desire nor the funds to obtain a traditional drum kit, she sourced her own from interesting finds at Value Village and other thrift stores, and bits and pieces of "legit" drums from Kijiji. Not only was she re-imagining, recycling, and reusing her finds, but she was returning to her early childhood roots of playing on her mother's pots and pans!