Lazara B. Santana is a Cuban bassoonist and educator based in Atlanta, Georgia. Her career reflects a deep commitment to musical excellence, education, and community engagement, shaped by a lifelong passion for performance, teaching, and service.
Born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, Lazara began studying the bassoon at the age of nine. Her early promise led her to pursue formal training at the National School of Music and later at the University of the Arts in Havana, where she graduated with honors. During her formative professional years in Cuba, she performed with leading ensembles including the Havana Lyceum Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Gran Teatro Alicia Alonso, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba. She also served as a Bassoon Teaching Assistant at the University of the Arts, contributing to the development of emerging musicians.
After relocating to the United States, Lazara earned a Master of Music in Orchestral Instrument Performance from Georgia State University, where she also served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. While at GSU, she received several distinctions, including First Prize in the Brumby Aria and Concerto Competition (2021) and selection as a featured soloist for the Southeastern Regional Concert Festival (2022).
Lazara is currently Adjunct Faculty of Bassoon at Reinhardt University and serves as Principal Bassoon of the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra. She also performs regularly as Principal Bassoon with the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre Orchestra and as Alternate Principal Bassoon of the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she is a Bassoon Teaching Artist with the Atlanta Music Project and works as a Fine Arts Coach and Bassoon Specialist for the Fulton County School System. Her performance career includes appearances as a guest soloist with the Prince George’s Philharmonic and participation in the Sphinx NAAS Wind Program hosted by the United States Navy Band. She has performed as a soloist with orchestras across the United States and collaborated on the internationally acclaimed Mozart y Mambo project with Berlin Philharmonic horn player Sarah Willis. Her work has taken her to renowned venues including the Kennedy Center, the Konzerthaus Berlin, and the Kurhaus Theater in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Lazara is currently an Artist in Residence at Emory University, where she studies with Anthony Georgeson, Associate Principal Bassoon of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. This residency concludes in May 2026.
Beyond performance, Lazara is deeply dedicated to expanding access to music education. Having grown up in an environment with limited resources, she is passionate about supporting nonprofit initiatives that empower young musicians. Since 2025, she has been actively involved with Gift of Music, an organization that provides instruments and music education to underserved communities. Her outreach work also includes collaborations with the Cuban American Youth Orchestra in Minneapolis and projects with Minnesota Orchestra musicians. Lazara maintains a private bassoon studio and takes great pride in her students’ achievements, including selection to All-State ensembles and acceptance into collegiate music programs. In 2024, she became a mother—an experience that has further shaped her perspective as both an artist and educator. While raising her son remains her most important role, she continues to advocate for women’s empowerment through the pursuit of meaningful and fulfilling artistic work.
Grounded in her cultural heritage and guided by a belief in music as a transformative force, Lazara remains committed to inspiring the next generation of musicians as she looks ahead with curiosity and openness to the next chapter of her artistic journey.
