Laura G. Zisette

Laura Zisette served as a faculty member in the Utah State University Music Department from 1985-2003. She has taught private piano for 30 years and served as Director and Coordinator of the USU Youth Conservatory. She also served on the curriculum board and taught varied levels of music theory classes.

Laura is active as a clinician, lecturer, adjudicator, and performer. She received her Bachelor of Music degrees in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy at Utah State University where she studied with Gary Amano. She is a member of the Music Teacher's National Association, a Past President of her UMTA chapter, and has served as State Convention Chairperson. She and her students have participated in many masterclasses with presenters such as Nelita True, Jeffrey Hollander, Martin Canon, James Tocco, Daniel Pollack, Andre-Michel Schub, Charles Rosen, Leon Fleisher. A favorite memory is when she played second piano with Claude Frank, when he performed a Mozart concerto.

The Zisettes have five children and recently moved to Minnesota. The family enjoys many hobbies including, of course, music. Collectively, the family plays or dabbles at piano, violin/fiddle, flute, piccolo, irish whistle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, accordian, upright bass, and other interesting and rare instruments. As relief from the intensity of classical music, Laura plays in their family dance band known as “Toss the Possum”.