Hi, my name is Lora Robertson. My father was a high school band teacher and my mother played piano so I grew up listening to music. When we were in the car my father would always be listening to either KBOO or KMHD which were the local jazz stations. I started playing piano in 4th grade and then started playing flute in middle school. Playing in the band was my favorite memories of high school but I always wanted to be in the jazz band. Unfortunately, they had plenty of saxophone players and I only played flute. When I graduated I went to school to be a music teacher because of my love of music. I did not finish; however, I kept playing. I ended up marrying a music teacher and kept reminding him that he was very lucky to marry me since I grew up around music teaching and understood the commitment that it took. I did take some time off from my playing due to family, but would occasionally play when I could. I have played in community bands, I played in a flute choir and would play with the family at Christmas. Almost everyone in the family played an instrument so we would write music to play with our Family Band. When my youngest daughter finally married I felt that it was time to get back to playing again. I started playing in a community band locally so that I could play my flute and piccolo. Then my husband told me that this jazz band needed a saxophone player. I had never played saxophone but he assured me that the fingerings were similar and that I would do just fine. Two years later I am still playing with the group that is now called the VanPort Jazz and loving it. I am proud to be part of a great group of people who enjoy playing their instruments together and do a good job of it too!