Susan Joy
Susan Joy began her musical training at seven (7) at the piano with Evelyn McCollough in Columbus Ohio. Inspired by her brother’s playing, she asked to play at five (5). At that time, most teachers would not take a student until he or she had completed first grade and could read. Susan discovered familiar melodies on the piano with her brother’s help and sang solos at school and church while waiting for piano lessons to begin. She was also fortunate to receive early and exceptional vocal training in Ruth Davidson's junior choir at North Broadway Methodist Church in Columbus.
When Susan Joy was ten (10) and in the fifth grade, the high school orchestra played a concert at her school. A few weeks later, violin study with Vera Watson Downing, a pupil of Leopold Auer (in Heifitz's class), was added to Susan’s musical program. Susan Joy's early training had its roots in the pedagogy of Auer, Sevcik, and Carl Flech. Susan's later teachers were pupils of Ivan Galamian of the Russian School of Violin Playing. [Galamian's pupil, Itzaka Perlman, is chairman of the violin department at The Julliard School]. In her senior year in high school, Susan was a member of the Binghamton Symphony Orchestra and a pupil of Marianne Wallenburg.
Susan Joy holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Ohio Wesleyan University with a major concentration in violin performance and minors in piano and voice. While a junior, she started teaching privately and with her teacher, Howard Beebe, started some of the first Suzuki classes in the country. Upon graduation, Susan joined the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and continued teaching and her violin studies. Coming to New England, Susan Joy studied with Gerald Gelbloom and was a freelance violinist. She opened a private studio in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Susan Joy pioneered the first New Hampshire Suzuki violin program in a rural school system through the Manchester Institute of Arts and Sciences. Susan audited the Tanglewood Conducting Seminar with Kurt Mazur and furthered her conducting studies with Maestro La Selva at The Julliard School.
During the seventies and eighties, Susan Joy had an alternative career as a singer- songwriter / recording artist. She toured extensively and opened for Aerosmith at Holman Stadium. Her song-writing attracted the attention of Judy Collins and Capitol Records. The strong influence of deep classical roots can be heard in the variety and richness of Susan’s melodies and harmonies. Susan Joy's album, Like a Bird, is classic contemporary folk with original songs and arrangements. One of her songs, “All Kinds of Weather” is the title and sound track of an award-winning documentary film. The sound track for a second film, The Peace Treaty of Portsmouth: A Spiritual Perspective, produced by Alusic Enterprises, was entered in the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.
Teaching has been and will always be Susan Joy’s favorite musical medium. All of her experience comes together in private and group lessons and conducting larger ensembles. Many of Susan Joy’s students audition successfully for the Boston Youth Symphony, the (Manchester) NH Youth Symphony, All-State Orchestras, and college music programs.
Susan Joy began her musical training at seven (7) at the piano with Evelyn McCollough in Columbus Ohio. Inspired by her brother’s playing, she asked to play at five (5). At that time, most teachers would not take a student until he or she had completed first grade and could read. Susan discovered familiar melodies on the piano with her brother’s help and sang solos at school and church while waiting for piano lessons to begin. She was also fortunate to receive early and exceptional vocal training in Ruth Davidson's junior choir at North Broadway Methodist Church in Columbus.
When Susan Joy was ten (10) and in the fifth grade, the high school orchestra played a concert at her school. A few weeks later, violin study with Vera Watson Downing, a pupil of Leopold Auer (in Heifitz's class), was added to Susan’s musical program. Susan Joy's early training had its roots in the pedagogy of Auer, Sevcik, and Carl Flech. Susan's later teachers were pupils of Ivan Galamian of the Russian School of Violin Playing. [Galamian's pupil, Itzaka Perlman, is chairman of the violin department at The Julliard School]. In her senior year in high school, Susan was a member of the Binghamton Symphony Orchestra and a pupil of Marianne Wallenburg.
Susan Joy holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Ohio Wesleyan University with a major concentration in violin performance and minors in piano and voice. While a junior, she started teaching privately and with her teacher, Howard Beebe, started some of the first Suzuki classes in the country. Upon graduation, Susan joined the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and continued teaching and her violin studies. Coming to New England, Susan Joy studied with Gerald Gelbloom and was a freelance violinist. She opened a private studio in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Susan Joy pioneered the first New Hampshire Suzuki violin program in a rural school system through the Manchester Institute of Arts and Sciences. Susan audited the Tanglewood Conducting Seminar with Kurt Mazur and furthered her conducting studies with Maestro La Selva at The Julliard School.
During the seventies and eighties, Susan Joy had an alternative career as a singer- songwriter / recording artist. She toured extensively and opened for Aerosmith at Holman Stadium. Her song-writing attracted the attention of Judy Collins and Capitol Records. The strong influence of deep classical roots can be heard in the variety and richness of Susan’s melodies and harmonies. Susan Joy's album, Like a Bird, is classic contemporary folk with original songs and arrangements. One of her songs, “All Kinds of Weather” is the title and sound track of an award-winning documentary film. The sound track for a second film, The Peace Treaty of Portsmouth: A Spiritual Perspective, produced by Alusic Enterprises, was entered in the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.
Teaching has been and will always be Susan Joy’s favorite musical medium. All of her experience comes together in private and group lessons and conducting larger ensembles. Many of Susan Joy’s students audition successfully for the Boston Youth Symphony, the (Manchester) NH Youth Symphony, All-State Orchestras, and college music programs.