About Laura Benson, NCTM

Laura Flowers Benson is a devoted, passionate, nurturing teacher who strives to inspire excellence in artistry, musical imagination, and healthy technique in every student.  In 2010 and 2016, she was honored to be the Ohio Music Teachers Association Central East District's Nationally Certified Teacher of the Year.  She is also a frequent adjudicator for festivals and competitions and is on the slate of adjudicators for the National Piano Guild.  Her students have earned numerous honors including:

  • Schmitt Music Competition (Colorado) – 2nd place Senior Division
  • Graves Piano Competition (Ohio) – 1st Place Elementary 
  • Ohio Buckeye Award – Senior Level District Representative for the State-wide competition
  • Worthington (Ohio) Music Club Festival and Competition – 1st and 2nd Place Awards Senior Category 
  • Maryland State Teachers Association – Spring Festival – 2nd Place Elementary
  • Howard County MTA Miriam Thomann Competition – 1st Place Senior Division 
  • Royal Conservatory of Music Examinations – Certificates of Excellence for highest score for the Center 
  • National Federation of Music Clubs Junior Festival – Numerous Unanimous Superior ratings 
  • National Piano Guild Auditions – consistent Superior and Top-Talent ratings each year
  • Students have been selected to play in CEOhioMTA Masterclasses
  • Students have earned scholarships towards summer music programs through CEOMTA and OhioMTA
  • Students have been selected for Suzuki Teacher Training Masterclasses with Mary Craig Powell

 

Following a 17-year piano teaching career in Columbus, Ohio, Mrs. Benson relocated to Centennial, CO in 2019.  In addition to teaching, she has a passion for playing chamber music and has performed many times in the Columbus area.  

 

Mrs. Benson has taught professionally since 1994 and earned a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from Towson University (Maryland) and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Penn State University.  She is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) by the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA).  She has studied with several master teachers, including Steven Smith of Penn State University, Virginia Reinecke, Nancy Roldan of the Peabody Conservatory, Roman Lebedev of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Renaldo Reyes of Towson University, and Steven Glaser of The Ohio State University.  

 

Mrs. Benson believes that all teachers should continue to develop their skills in order to best serve their students.  To that end, she maintains professional memberships and is active in Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Colorado State Music Teachers Association (CSMTA), South Suburban Music Teachers Associaiton (SSMTA), the National Piano Guild, the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), and the Colorado Suzuki Association.  She has served in many offices and chairmanships over the years including: President and Vice-President of Central East OhioMTA, Vice-President and President-Elect of OhioMTA, and is currently the Treasurer of SSMTA and Piano Play-In Chairperson for CO Suzuki.  

 

She lives in Centennial with her husband, teenage children, and dog and enjoys playing the piano (of course!), swing dancing, camping, hiking, biking, and attending the various events in which her children participate.

  

 Overview of my Teaching


I have taught pianists of all ages and levels for over 25 years and I draw from my diverse experiences to teach each student as a unique individual.  I keep current with research in pedagogy and have developed a wealth of creative ways to teach over the years.  I use both traditional and Suzuki elements in all of my teaching.  

All students participate in recitals and, once a certain level of study has been reached, most students participate in at least one festival, adjudication, competition, and/or workshop each year.  I find that these events help students create momentum towards a goal, which in turn helps them progress faster.  While festivals are open to all students, competitive events are carefully chosen to fit individual personalities and goals.  The expectations for competition preparation are quite high and in order to play at our best and we plan for these events well in advance.  

 

Students will study age-appropriate literature from the four major classical musical periods, as well as supplementary music from other genres, such as jazz, blues, and improvisation.   Theory, ensemble playing, performance practice, and peer learning (i.e. group lessons) are integral to each student’s curriculum.