Lea started playing the violin at age 6 and grew up in a home where music was valued and encouraged. After graduating college with a degree in Music Education, she began her 35-year career teaching orchestra in the Boise Schools in 1978, where she met her husband John, also a music teacher. Their two children also took up instruments; Aaron is a cellist, and daughter Brenna plays viola in Serenata Orchestra along with her mom.
Being a member of several community orchestras and numerous pit orchestras for Boise Music Week performances during her career, the idea of adults having a place to play without necessarily being a professional musician became a passion of Lea’s. She was a member of Eagle Chamber orchestra, even conducting the group for three years, then helped transition the group to become Serenata Community Orchestra, a full orchestra with nearly 100 members. After substitute conducting for Telford Adult Orchestra she became the full-time conductor in 2019 and helped grow what is now Arpeggio Orchestra.
In addition to her duties with Serenata (music librarian) and Arpeggio Orchestras, Lea still finds time to play for fun. She plays for contradances monthly with a Scottish fiddle band, The Acrasians and also plays with another small string ensemble, The Tangled Strings. In her copious spare time she might be found arranging music for her groups, or sewing, knitting, or calligraphy, mostly to stay out of trouble.
