Composers

Mr. La Plante recently retired after 33 years of teaching at various levels including high school band and chorus, beginning and middle school  instrumental instruction and K-6 general music.  His many years of working with beginning band students has proven very helpful when writing music that is accessible to young players. Mr. La Plante's works have been played by bands in Japan, Europe and Australia as well as appearing on numerous state contest lists. His music is published by Grand Mesa Music as well as Daehn Publications, Kjos, Carl Fischer and Bourne. In addition to band works, Bourne and G. Schirmer have published several settings of Wisconsin folksongs.

Mr. La Plante is a bassoonist and has been active in Wisconsin area  band and orchestras including the Beloit-Janesville Symphony, the Unitarian Society Orchestra and the Madison Wind Ensemble. He has adjudicated for the Wisconsin Music Educators Conference and is a member of MENC and ASCAP. He believes the biggest challenge in writing for young bands is to come up with something musical (keeping the technical demands reasonable), without "writing down" to the group. Mr. La Plante is a contributing author to Composers  On Composing For Band, Vol.II, edited by Mark Camphouse (GIA 2004).