Winter / Spring 2008

Lawrence Holmefjord-Sarabi

Classical Piano Prodigy

Lawrence Holmefjord-Sarabi, the featured pianist of a recent recital at the Raven’s Theatre benefiting the Healdsburg Boys and Girls Club, has been an active Club Member since 1998. He volunteers his time each week to help tutor younger Club Members, willingly lends a hand wherever needed throughout the Club and often performs for an enthralled audience of younger children in the creative arts room.

Lawrence was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in May of 1991, to a Norwegian mother and Iranian father. His interest and love for music started early, he got his first keyboard as a four year old, and his all time favorite film was the original Fantasia by Disney. At the age of 11 Lawrence had developed a love for classical music, and the eye opening experience came after watching Horowitz playing The Piano Concerto No3 in d minor Opus 30 by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Lawrence declared to his family that his goal was to become a concert pianist, and at the age of 11 ½ he started his first piano lessons with Virginia Cayton.

While taking lessons Lawrence spent endless time studying the biographies of composers, attending symphonies and concerts to broaden his musical knowledge. He practiced 6 to 8 hours every day, and after less than two years he was accepted as a student with Dr. John Robert Ringgold, who had studied under Artur Schnabel in Germany, and has a very international and diverse background.

Under Dr. Ringgold’s leadership Lawrence has strengthened his technique and musicianship. To be able to dedicate enough time for practice was a problem while attending school, so Lawrence decided to study independently, and graduated from High School in two years’ time.

Lawrence also attended workshops at the Green Musical Center at Sonoma State University, where he performed Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn for two pianos. He has visited and played at Liszt Academy in Budapest, Grieg Conservatory in Bergen, as well as performed at many private events in California.

In recent years, through taking the time to tutor at the Boys & Girls Club of Healdsburg Lawrence has been mentoring and spent many hours on guiding other teenagers on the importance of education, and that hard work is the essence to success! The support of vital programs and activities help young people build confidence and skills that will enable them to reach the stars. Sixty years ago, Healdsburg resident, Al Barbieri opened the Barbieri Boys Boxing Club—a place where youngsters would receive positive reinforcement and coaching and learn to become productive citizens. He believed that all children, no matter their circumstances, could become capable, contributing adults; that young Americans, given the chance, could change the course of their lives, and improve their families, communities, and the nation as a whole. Through the years, hundreds of community members have shared that vision,—their dreams and aspirations setting in motion a powerful force that has impacted thousands of young lives in Healdsburg and surrounding valleys.

Lawrence is currently practicing for his April 2008 recital, to benefit Santa Rosa Symphony.

If you want to get more information about Lawrence, please view his web page: LawrenceHolmefjordSarabi.com-where you can get updates about future concerts and also access to his Cd of the 2007 Recital.