Québec native Laurie Blanchet joined the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in 2025 as assistant principal clarinetist. She lived in the United States for eight years and held positions with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic in Indiana from 2021 to 2025. Laurie has performed extensively with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 2019 and had the privilege to join the 2025 European Tour as 2nd clarinetist performing Mahler Symphonies no. 6 & 7 under the baton of Jaap Van Zweden. She has also performed as guest clarinetist with Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Toronto Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, Columbus Symphony, The Florida Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Québec and the New World Symphony. Laurie was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago (the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s training orchestra) and a former military musician with the Canadian Army Forces.
She studied at DePaul University in Chicago, McGill University in Montréal, Conservatoire de musique de Québec and Université de Sherbrooke. Her primary teachers include Stephen Williamson, Marie Picard and Nathalie DeGrâce.
Laurie is married to Brian Johnston, trombonist of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and they have a rescue dog Leo.
Laurie is a Selmer Artist and performs exclusively on Henri Selmer Paris Clarinets.