Laurie Niles

Remembering Dr. William Sloan (1941-2025) I'll never forget the first time I met Dr. William Sloan in person - because he immediately sent me on one of my life's most memorable and improbable adventures. It was 2010, and Dr. Sloan showed up...

Dr. William Sloan passed away on Friday, and it feels like the passing of an era. Few people had more fun with the violin - and love for it! He was also a dear friend to me, personally. Here is a tribute that I wrote in his memory:
www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/...

Concert Reunites Neighbors Following LA Fires "Are things getting better?" A well-meaning young student asked me this question, referring to January fires that burned down most of the community of Altadena, Calif., just two miles to my north. Sh...

Are things getting better in LA? Well, you can't un-burn a house, but you can re-build a community. Here is how music is helping, starting with violinist Irina Voloshina's Melodia Mariposa concert last Sunday with the Lyris Quartet.
www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/...

Fire It has been a devastating week in Los Angeles, and as I write this, fires continue to burn. I live in Pasadena, two miles south of the Eaton Canyon Fire, which ripped through the community to our nort...

I'm so sad, just so sad for my friends in Altadena who lost their homes. You are all in my heart, and so are your places - and the schools, churches, everything - where we shared so many memories together over the last 25 years. My account from that night - www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/...