Percussionist Elizabeth LaBrie is dedicated to storytelling through music, expanding access to performance opportunities, and diversifying the percussive canon. Her performance and teaching work have taken her from Downtown Phoenix to Disneyland and beyond.
A classically trained musician, Elizabeth has performed as a guest timpanist with the Phoenix Symphony. She has appeared in numerous high-level ensembles, including the 2016 National Association for Music Education Honor Band in Grapevine, Texas, conducted by Dr. Paula Crider. During her collegiate career, she performed on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Anaheim and at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas with her university's marching band, the Pride of Arizona. In June 2019, Elizabeth attended the Tócalo Tucson Chamber Percussion Seminar on scholarship, studying with Anders Åstrand and Bob Becker. She has participated in masterclasses with Michael Burritt, Tom Burritt, Matthew Burtner, Pius Cheung, Gwendolyn Dease, Mark Ford, Jonathan Haas, Brett Reed, and Ivan Trevino.
Elizabeth graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from The University of Arizona School of Music in Spring 2022, where she studied with Morris Palter and Alana Wiesing. While at UA, she was active in Sigma Alpha Iota and Tau Beta Sigma and performed extensively with the UA Bands program. She also studied and performed under the tutelage of Thomas Cockrell, Chad Nicholson, Chad Shoopman, and Yudai Ueda. Before college, Elizabeth studied privately under Wes Hawkins and was a member of the Phoenix Youth Symphony. She additionally served as percussion section leader and center snare at Sunnyslope High School, completing four years of AMEA All-Region and All-State participation, including principal percussionist.
A passionate advocate for accessible music education, Elizabeth earned her Arizona music teaching certificate in January 2023. She is currently in her third year as Director of Bands at Carl Hayden High School in the Phoenix Union High School District, where she teaches percussion, marching band, jazz band, concert band, chamber music, and music technology. Her ensembles regularly compete through the Arizona Marching Band Association and have ranked among the top ten in their division, earning high percussion and music scores. Her students have performed in All-Region and All-State Festivals, Harmony Project Phoenix, Breakthrough Indoor Percussion, and The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps.
Elizabeth remains an active performer in the Greater Phoenix Area as a participant in many esteemed community ensembles such as the Arizona Wind Symphony and the Scottsdale Symphonic Orchestra. She also is a full-time member as the double-guitar pannist of the Rhythm is Life Steel Band.
Elizabeth currently lives in north-central Phoenix with her cat, Princess, and her Dragonfly Percussion stick bag. Outside of music, Elizabeth enjoys running the Bridle Path, junk journaling, and catching movies at Harkins Theatres with friends and family.