ABOUT Laura Stephany Cohen Gonzalez
SESSION TITLE: Afro-Colombian Marimba Music Transformed: Sounds of Chonta
Presenting with Héctor Tascón
Laura Stephany Cohen is a Latin/classical percussionist and multi-instrumentalist from Cali, Colombia. She completed her Bachelor of Music and master’s degree in percussion performance at Eastern Illinois University and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music respectively. Stephany served as Associate Instructor while at Indiana University, where she taught private percussion lessons and assisted teaching the Afro-Cuban and Brazilian ensembles.
As a performer, she has won several music scholarships and competitions such as the Eastern Symphonic Orchestra concerto competition and the Avedis Zildjian Scholarship. Stephany enjoys performing in diverse Latin American, Latin Jazz, and fusion groups, specializing in creating a variety of Latin multi-percussion set ups for different occasions.
Growing up in Cali exposed her to salsa music and the traditional rhythms of this region. As part of her many projects, and as a member of the PAS World Percussion Committee, she finds it necessary to spread awareness of the cultural and historical importance Latin American traditions deserve.
