Laura Otto, Suzuki School Director, Dolce String Ensemble Conductor
Laura is the Director of the YMI Suzuki School of Music in Peoria, Illinois. She has been
teaching violin lessons in the Peoria area for nearly 20 years and directs the Dolce String
Ensemble at Youth Music Illinois. In addition, she also directs the 5th-8th grade orchestra at
Peoria Academy. A member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), Laura has
received training at the American Suzuki Institute, Chicago Suzuki Institute, and the Colorado
Suzuki Institute.
Laura studied violin performance at Bradley University and Illinois State University, studying
with Marcia Henry Liebenow and Sarah Gentry. She was the winner of the Bradley Concerto-Aria Competition and recipient of the prestigious Presser Scholar Award. She has performed with the Bradley Symphony Orchestra (concertmaster), Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Heartland Festival Orchestra, Opera Illinois Orchestra, Aria International Music Academy, Nebraska Chamber Music Institute, and Domaine Forget International Music Academy. She enjoys freelancing with her string quartet, Heart Strings, throughout Central Illinois.
Laura and her husband, Ryan, live in Congerville with their four children who are all young
musicians studying the violin, cello, French horn, percussion and piano; they also enjoy
serving at their church, working in their yard, and traveling to Montana.
Laura is the Director of the YMI Suzuki School of Music in Peoria, Illinois. She has been
teaching violin lessons in the Peoria area for nearly 20 years and directs the Dolce String
Ensemble at Youth Music Illinois. In addition, she also directs the 5th-8th grade orchestra at
Peoria Academy. A member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), Laura has
received training at the American Suzuki Institute, Chicago Suzuki Institute, and the Colorado
Suzuki Institute.
Laura studied violin performance at Bradley University and Illinois State University, studying
with Marcia Henry Liebenow and Sarah Gentry. She was the winner of the Bradley Concerto-Aria Competition and recipient of the prestigious Presser Scholar Award. She has performed with the Bradley Symphony Orchestra (concertmaster), Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Heartland Festival Orchestra, Opera Illinois Orchestra, Aria International Music Academy, Nebraska Chamber Music Institute, and Domaine Forget International Music Academy. She enjoys freelancing with her string quartet, Heart Strings, throughout Central Illinois.
Laura and her husband, Ryan, live in Congerville with their four children who are all young
musicians studying the violin, cello, French horn, percussion and piano; they also enjoy
serving at their church, working in their yard, and traveling to Montana.