Mr. Laven
"Music is the universal language of mankind"
- H.W. Longfellow
Music has always been a driving force in my life. Raised
in South Bend,
Indiana, I started playing piano when I was six. After trying
violin
briefly, I finally stuck with the French horn in sixth grade;
later playing
in Youth Orchestras, All-State groups, and University Symphony
Orchestras in
high school. Although Mozart and classical music was my favorite,
I also
learned to play the drums by playing along with Led Zeppelin records.
The
soul music we listened and danced to also had an impact on me,
so when I got
to college I learned to play that funky music I loved on the bass
guitar.
Jazz entered my life in high school, but I never really listened
close
enough until some friends in college who introduced me to the
music of great
jazz musicians like Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and Oscar Peterson.
After
somebody dragged me to a Bluegrass Festival, I soon realized there
was LOTS
of great music out there I had yet to discover! Like Louis Armstrong
said,
"There's only two ways to sum up music: either it's good
or it's bad. If
it's good you don't mess about it; you just enjoy it."
My performing career began over 40 years ago and continues today. I have
performed all styles of music, all over the country, in all kinds
of places,
with famous and not-so-famous musicians. Playing music is a vital
part of
me; it allows me to be creative and express myself while exploring
new ideas
and collaborating with others. I try to share this passion for
music every
day with my students at MMS in hopes that they too will discover
the joy of
music for themselves.
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