Laurin McCoy's Journey Through Music
Arts in the Heart and Beyond
Laurin McCoy is an incredible young Augustan. Not only is she a talented musician, playing the piano and tuba, but she is also a dancer, author, cosplayer, swimmer, volunteer, 4-H County Council member, the list, quite literally goes on and on. With all this talent and the support of her family and friends, there doesn’t seem to be much that this girl can’t do!
Laurin, along with her friend and fellow musician Patrice Neely, were able to perform at this year’s 40th Annual Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival on the Soul Suite Stage. Where they played a beautiful rendition of “As It Was” by Harry Styles, with Laurin on the Piano and Patrice on the Cello as well as the “Devil Went Down To Georgia” by Charlie Daniels which you can see in the video to the left. Both girls were over the moon to have participated in such a record-breaking arts event.
Part of Laurin’s musical journey has been guided by some great local musical talents, such as her school’s Music Instructor and Band Director, Mr. James Brewer of Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, who has been teaching music for more than 13 years.
Laurin credits Mr. Brewer for pushing her to achieve goals and further develop her talents. Including being a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Laurin is fully committed to performing, leading and serving her community and the world at large. Through her school’s band, she has received superior ratings at OrlandoFest, which is a premier music fest held at Universal Orlando Studios in Florida, and at the Large Group Performance Evaluation (LGPE) of the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA). Accomplishing these feats energizes Laurin to strive to make it to the next level. She is looking forward to performing in New York next year.
Another of her musical mentors is non-other than Jazz Trombonist and Composer: Wycliff Gordon, who instructs Laurin in Jazz Band. It was actually at the Arts in the Hearts Festival, that Laurin got to see Wycliffe Gordon play live for the first time. She was so greatly inspired and moved by his performance that she carried that same energy into her rehearsals as she learned to play the very songs he had performed.
Studying and playing under the direction of a musical legend like Wycliffe Gordon is truly something special. Laurin credits her improvements in Jazz to Wycliff, who has been a great motivator in her progress.
Her next performance will be the Augusta University Conservatory Jazz Band concert at the Maxwell Theatre. Which is directed by Mr. Wycliffe Gordon and will be held on November 16th at 7 p.m.
If you would like to learn more about Laurin McCoy and her journey through music, please visit her webiste: www. lsmccoy.newzenler.com/
