Laura Estes
Laura Estes taught middle and high school band for 36 years before retiring in 2018 from the Cobb County School System (GA). Upon retirement she began composing, and her first piece “Kvetchers (Surprises in Controversial Time)” was accepted for publication in Excelcia’s 2020 catalog. In addition to her music being performed at The MidWest Clinic in Chicago, Estes’ concert works have been selected for the J.W. Pepper Editor’s Choice List as well as being named Five Star Features from Stanton’s Sheet Music. With her composition “Walking on Air,” Estes was named the winner of the 2021 Women Band Directors International (WBDI) Composition Competition.
Throughout Estes’ career, her bands consistently earned Superior ratings at performance evaluations, and she was awarded the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence as her middle and high school bands were selected to perform at clinics in the Southeast.
A South Florida native, Estes earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from The Florida State University and her Master’s Degree in Music Education from Georgia State University. In addition to composing, Estes continues to serve as an adjudicator, guest conductor, clinician, and mentor. Estes and her husband Gil reside in Marietta, GA, and have 5 amazing children: Adrienne, April, Eric, Daniel, and Michelle.
