Laurie Smukler began her studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music and started playing as a soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra at 14. She earned her BM from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Ivan Galamian; other Juilliard faculty who have had a powerful influence on her development are Donald Weilerstein and Robert Mann.

The founding first violinist of the Mendelssohn String Quartet, Smukler has been co-director of the Collection in Concert series at the Pierpont Morgan Library, and played on many chamber music series and been a guest artist at many festivals. She has been on the faculties of Purchase College Conservatory of Music, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival and School, the Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College, and the Bard College Conservatory. She gives master classes and has played premieres of works by Shulamit Ran, Ned Rorem, Tobias Picker, Bruce Adolphe, John Harbison, and others. She has recorded for Music Masters.