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Louise Lofquist has had an unorthodox musical career. Although she
made her pianistic debut with the National Symphony at the age of 18,
she pursued other fields for several years before returning to the
piano. Ms. Lofquist received her bachelor's degree in history, summa
cum laude, from Duke University, and her master's degree, also in
history, from Stanford University. After finally deciding she
belonged in music, Ms. Lofquist sang as a mezzo-soprano before an
injury to her vocal cord cut short her singing career. She then
resumed her pianistic studies, earning her M.M. in Accompanying from
UC/Santa Barbara and her D.M.A. in 2000 from U.S.C., where she
studies with Kevin Fitz-Gerald and Bernadene Blaha.
Since her return to the piano, Louise Lofquist has become one of
the Southland's most sought after collaborative pianists. She has
performed in recital with such artists as baritones Rodney Gilfry,
Richard Bernstein, and Nmon Ford, tenor Henry Price, sopranos Camille
King and Jessica Rivera, violinist Gilles Apap, and clarinetist Fred
Ormand, among others. Also in demand as a vocal coach, Ms. Lofquist
has taught in that capacity at the Music Academy of the West and the
UC/Santa Barbara Summer Vocal Institute. Last year she served as
adjunct faculty at U.S.C., where she taught the undergraduate
accompanying class. This year she joined the faculty at Pepperdine
University as a staff accompanist, vocal coach, and piano instructor.
Ms. Lofquist lives in Camarillo with her husband, Grant Specht, an
attorney, and their two sons, Dylan and Shane. |
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