Susan Newman

Piano & Voice

Susan was born and raised in Illinois, where she  began studying piano at age 5, studying violin at age  8, and formal voice training at age 13. In high school,  she participated in a cappella, jazz, treble, and madrigal choirs, accompanying several groups, and  singing and/or directing others. She was selected for the Illinois All State Chorus, was a voice major at the  National High School Music Institute at Northwestern University and won numerous IHSA solo/ensemble  contest I (one) ratings and other  awards. Higher  education took a turn away from  music and into the  legal realm, but music always remained near and dear to her heart.

As an “adult” (and mother of 3), Susan was a member  of the Elgin Master Chorale (aka Elgin Choral Union) for many years, and had the good fortune of  performing numerous major choral pieces with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. She was also active in community theater productions and served several years as a piano judge for the prestigious Granquist Music Competition in Geneva, Illinois. Susan’s interest in teaching began when her (now adult) children were very young and began studying music. Susan regularly “coached” them on musicality and technique to augment their lessons. This eventually expanded to “coaching” other students in piano, voice, and acting.

Susan readily acknowledges that not every student will be a professional musician. But the benefits to the brain of learning music are well documented for both young and old. Never has Susan met anyone who regretted taking music as a child; but she has met many throughout the years who genuinely wished that they had done so.