Laurie Altman was born in 1944 and raised in New York City. He attended the Mannes College of Music in New York where he majored in Composition and studied most notably with William Sydeman and Lester Trimble. Laurie Altman has been the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the Mason Gross Fellowship, a Lincoln Center Composers Forum Award, a Woodrow Wilson Composers residency Fellowship and a University Professors Citation of Excellence from Tufts University in Boston.

An Assistant Professor at Westminster Choir College / Rider University in Princeton New Jersey for many years, Laurie Altman in addition pursued an extensive career as a performing jazz pianist with his quintet in New York City, and other venues including clubs and festivals in Russia, Helsinki and Germany.
 
Since moving to Switzerland in 2010, he has had two European premieres at the Musikverein in Vienna, as well as performances in Zurich. November 2013 saw the world premiere of his composition 'Brahms Takes', written for clarinettist and composer Matthias Müller and the Galatea String Quartet.

Laurie Altman lives with his wife, pianist and photographer Jeannine Hummel, in Spiez and in Zurich.


Contents:
- Sonata for Piano #5 (2006), dedicated to the memory of Olivier Altman
Clipper Erickson (piano)

- Antarctic Convergence (2006) for tenor saxophone, piano and double bass
Andrew Rathbun (tenor saxophone), Laurie Altman (piano), Scott Lee (double bass)

- Pedro’s Story for solo piano (2007)
Clipper Erickson (piano)

- Romare Bearden: A Gallery Tour (2006) for tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, piano and double bass
Andrew Rathbun (saxophones), Laurie Altman (piano), Scott Lee (double bass)

- 3 for Duke (2006) for soprano, flute and piano
Patrice Michaels (soprano), Helen Rathbun (flute), Laurie Altman (piano)