Dr. Charles Laux is the Director of Orchestras at Lassiter High School in the Cobb County School District, located just north of Atlanta, Georgia. He also serves as Essential Elements clinician, consultant, and contributor for the Hal Leonard Corporation. Dr. Laux holds degrees in music education from Ohio University, the University of Nevada – Las Vegas, and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University with a minor in Educational Technology.

A string educator in his 28th year, Dr. Laux has worked with diverse student populations from elementary school through the collegiate level. He taught at Alpharetta High School in Fulton County, Georgia from 2016-2022 where his duties included directing five levels of orchestra, including the nationally recognized AHS Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Laux served as Assistant Professor of String Music Education at Kennesaw State University from 2012-2016 where he taught string techniques and pedagogy, music education technology integration, supervised student teachers, conducted the KSU Philharmonic and coordinated string outreach activities, including serving as founding director of the KSU String Project. Under his leadership, Kennesaw State University became the largest string education program in Georgia and the KSU String Project grew to serve nearly 110 elementary school students. Previously Dr. Laux directed award-winning school orchestra programs in Nevada, Florida, and Ohio. Under his direction, the Winter Park High School Philharmonic Orchestra was selected to perform at the 60th annual Midwest Clinic in 2006 and the Alpharetta High School Symphony Strings were selected in 2018.

Dr. Laux remains in frequent demand across the nation as an orchestra clinician, conductor, and adjudicator. Endorsed as an artist-educator by D’Addario Orchestral and Eastman Stringed Instruments, Dr. Laux has presented nearly 200 educational sessions for organizations such as the Midwest Clinic, American String Teachers Association, Technology Institute for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and at music conferences spanning 26 states. He regularly presents professional development in-services for school districts across the country and has presented internationally at Colegio Menor San Francisco near Quito, Ecuador. His performing experience includes seasons with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Nevada Chamber Symphony, the Columbus String Quartet, and a collaborative solo-performance with several members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Laux is a featured author in Rehearsing the High School Orchestra, published by GIA Publishing. His notable conducting appearances include regional and All-State Orchestras in Georgia, South Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, and New Mexico. For 2023-2024, he will conduct the Alaska All-State Orchestra and will present sessions at Georgia Music Educators Association Conference, The Midwest Clinic, and The American String Teachers Association National Conference.

In his spare time, Dr. Laux enjoys giving back to the string and orchestra community through his “The Orchestra Teacher” website, podcast, and YouTube channel. His community service includes coaching baseball for Sandy Plains Baseball Association, supporting Sources of Strength, and fundraising for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.  Dr. Laux also enjoys running, cycling, camping, cooking, watching sports, and boating. Most of all, he loves spending time with his wife, Stacy, and sons, Charlie (14), and Andy (12).

Contact: Charles.Laux@cobbk12.org