Tina Laughlin was born in Elgin, Illinois and graduated with highest honors from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. She received both her Bachelor's of Music and Master's of Music in Percussion Performance with a minor in Art History from DePaul University. Her training also included eight years with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, where she performed under the direction of Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez and Sir Georg Solti. As a freelance artist, Ms. Laughlin performs with many orchestras and theaters in the Chicagoland area, including the Lyric Opera Orchestra, Grant Park Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony, the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Philharmonic, Illinois Philharmonic, Light Opera Works and the Elgin Symphony.
Ms. Laughlin is a strong advocate of new music and appears with numerous ensembles, including at New Music DePaul events and with CUBE. She has performed several of John Eaton's operas, and in 2000 became a core member of the Fulcrum Point New Music Project. In the fall of 2003, Ms. Laughlin performed the Midwest premiere of the Philip Glass operas The Sound of a Voice and Hotel of Dreams at the Court Theatre in Chicago. In May of 2009, Laughlin recorded Michael Abels’ Aquadia which played at the Shedd Aquarium as accompaniment to the live show “Fantasea”. She appeared live on WFMT radio in January of 2010 and in February of 2013, performing with CUBE New Music Ensemble and flutist Mary Stolper respectively. In March of 2010, Ms. Laughlin premiered Charged and Calm Surfaces by Chicago composer George Flynn, written for and dedicated to herself and clarinetist Christie Miller.
Ms. Laughlin has recorded with Millar Brass Ensemble, Chicago Sinfonietta, the Elgin Symphony, and the Center for Black Music Research of Columbia College. Ms. Laughlin is also seen in the film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York as the cymbal player in Carnegie Hall.
She has taught at DePaul University for over fifteen years, and is in her fifth year of teaching percussion at ChiArts, Chicago’s only tuition-free high school dedicated to providing pre-professional training to students in the arts. In the fall of 2013, Ms. Laughlin was appointed Instructor of Percussion at Northeastern Illinois University. In her down time, Ms. Laughlin enjoys salsa dancing.