Lagana went on to get a Masters in Music at Towson University where he was awarded second prize in the Sidney Lieberman Competition, the first guitarist ever to place in that competition. His analysis of the work of Pat Metheny was published by Just Jazz Guitar magazine and endorsed by Metheny himself. Lagana has participated in master classes with Ralph Towner, Dusan Bogdanovic, The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Roland Dyens, and the Brazilian Guitar Quartet. He was a guest artist at the First World Guitar Congress and was invited to play for guitarist/composer Carlo Domeniconi at the Long Island Guitar Festival. Lagana was featured with the National Symphony Orchestra in David Del Tredici’s work Final Alice and appeared again with the NSO and Eric Idle of the Monty Python troupe. He has also performed with the York Symphony Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony, and recently with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in the John Waters’ Hairspray tribute and again as accompanist to singer Jackie Evancho. Lagana has played many festivals, shared the bill with jazz icon Herbie Hancock, and worked with George Garzone, Walt Weiskopf, Joel Frahm, Red Rodney,Craig Handy, Bob Mintzer, and Marvin Stamm. He is also a veteran of many theatre productions including the world premiere of Giant at the Tony Award winning Signature Theatre, as well as the 2022 smash hit Mean Girls written by SNL famed comedian Tina Fey. Kennedy Center productions of Little Shop of Horrors and Footloose, as well as The Hippodrome's Tina: The Tina Turner Musical and National Theatre's production of Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill are among many other highlights. Lagana’s guitar work can also be heard on the Fox Network show America’s Most Wanted. He has taught at Towson University and is currently on the faculty at University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Howard University in Washington D.C. His recordings as a leader include Patuxent, Schematic and the most recent Vol.1.