Laura Landsberg: A Beloved Voice in the Kootenay Music Scene

Laura Landsberg's journey in the Kootenay music scene spans decades, and her artistry has inspired generations through both performance and teaching. From jazz festivals to college classrooms, she has been a voice of originality and genre-defiance, blending jazz, blues, and gospel in her performances. With a background that includes studying at Grant MacEwan University, teaching voice at Selkirk College for 20 years, and becoming Canada's first certified MDH Breathing Co-ordination practitioner, Landsberg's story is one of dedication, creativity, and connection.

Key Takeaways:

Landsberg has spent over 40 years immersed in British Columbia's music scene, performing with notable artists like Bobby McFerrin and Chucho Valdez, and being a core member of the Kootenay Divas.
She has released two albums under her own name - Naturally and A Simple Twist - and has described her voice as original, unpretentious, and genre-defying.
Landsberg attributes her biggest professional gig to hard work and being kind and respectful to her peers and mentors in the musical community, emphasizing the importance of connections in the creative world.
She offers two pieces of advice for rural artists: stay open and follow your passion, and be creative with side hustles to support your work and find ways to make connections with others in your community.
Landsberg is working on a new project called Lines: Tracing an Unconventional Story through Poetry, Music, and Visual Art, which will be a multimedia visual album, a printed poetry booklet, and a live performance.
She is also launching her MDH breathing co-ordination practice in Nelson, aiming to support individuals in optimizing their breathing and applying it to artistic, athletic, or human performance.
Landsberg's vision is to continue nurturing the creative spirit of others, inspiring both students and the community, for many years to come.

Statistics:

Landsberg has spent over 40 years immersed in British Columbia's music scene.
She has taught voice at Selkirk College for 20 years.
She is Canada's first certified MDH Breathing Co-ordination practitioner.
Landsberg has released two albums under her own name - Naturally and A Simple Twist.
She has performed with notable artists like Bobby McFerrin and Chucho Valdez, and has been a core member of the Kootenay Divas.
The Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance has supported Landsberg's project Lines, which involves a team of over 20 individuals from the Kootenays.

Sources:

The Nelson and District Arts Council (executive director Sydney Black)