Noel-Paul Laur joined the Amarillo Youth Choirs staff in 2001 as the rehearsal and concert accompanist. He currently serves as the Organist and Associate Music Director for Polk Street United Methodist Church in Amarillo, the accompanist for the Amarillo Civic Chorus, and the Organist for St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s weekday Chapel services. Mr. Laur and his family have a long and involved history with AYC. His youngest son, Carter, was a member of the Amarillo Boy Choir for five years. His oldest daughter, Carling, was a member of the Amarillo Girl Choir for three years. His youngest daughter, Caitlin, was a member of the Amarillo Girl Choir for five years.
Mr. Laur was born in Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada. He has the following degrees to his credit: A. Mus. (Organ) from the University of Western Ontario, London, ONT; B. Mus. (Organ) from Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, Wheaton, IL; M. Mus. (Organ, Conducting) from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ. Currently, he is a candidate for the degree D.W.S. from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, Orange Park, FL in June, 2008.
Also to his credit are the following certificates from the American Guild of Organists, New York, NY: S.P., C.A.G.O., A.A.G.O., Ch. M., F.A.G.O. His teachers have included: piano – Joyce Laur and William Phemister; organ – Laura Bragg, John Inch, Edmund Wright, Stephen Cushman, Donald McDonald, Mark Brombaugh, Frank McConnell, Charles Parsons and Peter Brown; conducting – Rex Hicks, John Kemp, Frauke Haasemann and Joseph Flummerfelt.
Mr. Laur is married to Debra who serves as the Director of Early Childhood Ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Amarillo, TX. His oldest son, Chrysler (U.S. Army MP-SPEC) has been serving in Iraq since December, 2006. Carter (U.S. Navy HN) is currently stationed at Twenty-nine Palms, CA. Carling is a senior at Randall H.S. and plans to enroll at Amarillo College School of Nursing in 2008. Caitlin, a sophomore at Randall H.S., is a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol and hopes to be an Air Force pilot.  Mr. Laur and his family enjoy their home in Lake Tanglewood.