Co-Founder and Musical Director, Charlie Lagond, has worked as a professional musician for over 35 years, performing around the world with artists including Chet Baker, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Bernard Purdie, Chuck Mangione, The Jackson Five, the Temptations, Natalie Cole, and Kid Creole & the Coconuts, with whom he has performed at several presidential inaugural balls and at a Command Performance by request of Princess Diana.
Following years of touring, Broadway, television & film, recording and instruction, Charlie created Lagond Music School to advance his concept of an ultimate musical education. Charlie believes strongly that the combination of a rigorous musical foundation coupled with the power of live performance creates this ultimate musical education.
Charlie instills in his students that music is a language: you must learn to speak, read and write it, and communicate it to others. By playing with other musicians, particularly in front of an audience, one develops not only fluency but also the ability to read and interpret between the lines.
This is a path toward developing expertise and a strong personal artistry.
Charlie has a keen ability to assess how different students learn and attain goals well beyond their expectations, overseeing the progress and performance of each Lagond Music student, whether advanced, beginner, or a student with special needs.
“I got into music not for the fame and glory but because music has always excited and inspired me. Sharing my love of music with audiences around the world and with aspiring students has – and continues to be – one of the most fulfilling aspects of my life. Watching my students’ personal and career growth has been equally inspiring.”
In fact, in the few short years since founding Lagond Music School, Charlie has been both proud and honored to play professional gigs alongside several of his former students, now talented musical peers with degrees from top music colleges and conservatories and a growing list of musical accolades all their own.
Among his students’ recent accomplishments are two Grammy® High School Band winners (and five finalists); a Silver Awardee in the NFAA YoungArts competition, as well as a 2nd place and two honorable mention winners; an ASCAP Young Composer award winner.
These are the successes upon which Charlie will continue to work and better for the sake of all his students.
Charlie Lagond received a Bachelor of Music degree at the Eastman School of Music/ University of Rochester and studied privately with Joe Allard, Harold Bennet and Hall Overton. Charlie is a member of Local 802 Musician’s Union and BMI.
