Jay U. Lawrence
Jay U. Lawrence attended Brigham Young University in 1980 and again from 2005-2006. Lawrence is currently a part-time faculty member in BYU’s School of Music, teaching courses in percussion.
Along with his faculty position, Lawrence teaches up to 55 private lessons a week and classes at BYU, UVU, Snow College, and teaches every other week at BYU-Idaho.
Professionally, Lawrence has performed with Sammy Davis Jr., Lou Rawls, Della Reese, and other Jazz greats.
In 2009 Lawrence and Steve Lindeman co-won the Utah Arts Council Jazz Composer Commission. They each contributed a new work and both works were performed in July 2009 at the Salt Lake City International Jazz Festival by the Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Jerry Floor. Lawrence's piece was titled El Habanero.
Lawrence started drumming as a 14-year-old in Reno, Nevada and had a lot of professional drumming opportunities throughout the next several years. He performed his first 'real' gig when he was 16, and it was with Barbara Eden of I Dream of Jeannie, which was followed by gigs with 85 other celebrity acts including Tom Jones, Cher, and more. After several years he left Reno to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, but after a year left to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
References
- Rogers, Brittany Karford. “Encyclopedia of Musical Alumni.” BYU Magazine. 2007. Brigham Young University. 28 Dec. 2007. <http://magazine.byu.edu/?act=view&a=2085>.
