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Lori Carlson graduated from Concordia College with a Bachelor of Music degree in music education and received her Master of Education degree from Saint Mary's University.
While viola is her main instrument, Lori has also studied piano and violin since childhood, both instruments which she continues to enjoy playing. She has also enjoyed time as a singer, percussionist, and as a member of one of the Concordia College hand bell choirs. An interest in music of other cultures led her to the Winona Gamelan Ensemble for a couple years and the Winona Fiddlers. As a violist she has performed with string quartets, community orchestras, and theater orchestras since high school. She has performed with the MN All-State Orchestra, the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, and the Concordia College Orchestra. She currently plays with the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra.
Lori began her teaching career in Winona at three elementary schools and the middle school. She currently teaches orchestra at Central Elementary School and Winona Middle School. She has also taught string methods at Saint Mary's University. She has served as an orchestra director and viola coach with the La Crosse Area Youth Symphony Orchestras and has directed the middle orchestra at the MNSOTA Fall String Camp, a statewide camp for middle level orchestra students. Ms. Carlson began teaching privately in 1995 and continues to give private lessons as her schedule allows. She enjoys the opportunity to give more private lessons through the summer.
In 2005 Lori was nominated and selected to attend the Claire McCoy Leadership Retreat, a workshop for young music educators in Minnesota. She is a member of MMEA (Minnesota Music Educators Association) and MNSOTA (Minnesota String and Orchestra Teachers Association), along with their national parent organizations. She has volunteered with both organizations through helping at workshops, working as a representative at the MN State Fair, and volunteering time as a member of the MMEA state task force on mentorship. Within her own district, she has represented the middle school music department on the building site team and currently represents the middle school faculty on the district Curriculum Advisory Committee.
Lori has a strong interest in education, especially arts education and the place it has in the development and life of a child, as well as its place in the life of society. With string instruments as her specialty, which take a good amount of kinesthetic awareness, Lori finds a great opportunity to focus on the balanced development of body, mind, and spirit.
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