Lawrence P. Hurst
Professor of Music (Double Bass); Chair—Department of Strings
Contact Information:
hurst
[at]
indiana [dot] edu
(hurst@indiana.edu)
Music Addition, MA157
Department
Education
- M.M., University of Michigan, 1965
- B.M., University of Michigan, 1959
Biography
Lawrence Hurst began his musical studies on the piano accordion at the age of four. At 13, he started studying the double bass through the public school system of his hometown, Norfolk, Va. His formal musical training was done at the University of Michigan (UM), where he entered as a full General Motors Scholarship recipient. He earned both the B.M. and M.M. degrees at UM and was awarded the school's highest honor upon graduation, the Stanley Medal.
After serving two years with the Seventh Army Symphony in Europe, his professional career began as principal bassist with the Dallas Symphony, under Sir Georg Solti. In 1964, he joined the faculty at Michigan, and, for the next 22 years, had a very active performing and teaching career throughout the Midwest.
During his tenure at Michigan, he was chair of the String Department for 11 years and associate dean for 7 years.
In 1967, he joined the summer faculty of the famed National Music Camp (now the Interlochen Arts Camp) and has taught there every summer since. He joined the faculty of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in September 1986, and, in 1987, he became chair of the String Department, a position he still holds.
His students can be found in orchestras and musical venues all over the world, including the orchestras of Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Atlanta, the Metropolitan Opera, St. Louis, and Milwaukee, to name a few.
In 2005, he was awarded ASTA's Artist/Teacher of the Year award, and, in 2006, the International Society of Bassists (of which he was past president) gave him the Distinguished Teaching Award.