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Susanne O In Studio Teaches Online
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Instruments: Saxophone, Clarinet
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Folk, Latin, Showtunes, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova

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Susanne O   In Studio Teaches Online
Instruments: Saxophone, Clarinet
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Folk, Latin, Showtunes, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova

Where I Teach:
My Studio Online
Ages Taught: 9-80
Levels Taught:

EMAIL US OR CALL 877-687-4524

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ABOUT
Degrees / Training / Special Info:

MA University Of Augsburg, Music Education, conservatory training at Augsburg Konservatorium

Awards:

1998-Present Performing Artist, Bandleader, Free-lance reed player

Jazz:

Performed with Vince Giordano, James Singleton, Don Vappie, Roger Humphries, Tcha Limberger, Helmut Nieberle, Wolfgang Lackerschmid, Tom Roberts, Mark Strickland, and many others

Klezmer:

Performed with Alan Bern, Emil Eibinder (Israel), Guy Klusevec, Vladimir Mollov (Bulgaria), Michael Ward-Bergeman, Martin Masakowski Classical:

Performed with Noah Bendix Balgley (1. Concertmaster of Berlin Philharmonics)

Choro:

Performed with Catherine Bent, Salvador Avila, Bruno Elisabetsky, Filipe Leite, Nando Duarte

2020 Organizer and Artistic Director of the 1. Choro Festival in New Orleans

2017-present Self-employed Musician based in New Orleans

  • Regular performances in and around New Orleans featuring Traditional

    Jazz, Early Brazilian, Venezuelan, Eastern European

  • Paid transcription service

  • Founder and administrator of Choro Challenge, an online educational

    community for the preservation, promotion, and revitalization of early

    Brazilian music.

  • Susanne Ortner Trio (with James Singleton, bass, and Nahum Zdybel,

    guitar) Self-employed Musician based in Pittsburgh

     

2006-2016 Self-employed Musician based in Pittsburgh

Regular performances in Pittsburgh featuring Klezmer, and Early Jazz Lectures, workshops, and demonstrations on Klezmer

  1. The History of Klezmer Music (The Hillel Center for Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, School of Music)

  2. Lecture and master class (Department of Music, Duquesne University, clarinet class of Ron Samuel)

  3. A Marriage between Klezmer and Harlem Stride - lecture and concert with Tom Roberts (Carnegie Mellon University)

  4. Lecture, concert, and workshop with German quartet Sing Your Soul (High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Pittsburgh)

  5. Klezmer Workshop (Department of Music, University of Pittsburgh): an intensive course on the repertoire, theory, history, and instrumental technique, including the improvisation of Yiddish music, Pittsburgh, PA

  6. Band instructor at J-Site (Agency of Jewish Learning), Pittsburgh, PA

     

Composing and Arranging for theatre productions

    1. Music for Mazel (original composition, arrangement, and performance: Jewish Theatre of Pittsburgh)

    2. Music for Our Class (original composition and arrangement, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre) (2013)

    3. Music for “Die Weihnachtsgeschichte”, a play performed at the Marionette Theatre Augsburger Puppenkiste (2016)


 

2006-2016 Research scholar at the University of Pittsburgh (German department) Outreach program with Pittsburgh are Holocaust survivors: “Who are these Germans?”

Testimonials with music

 

2013 Organizer and Artistic Director of the Three Rivers Klezmer Festival, Performing in trio the opening concert together with Noah Bendix-Balgley (1. concert master of the Berlin Philharmonics) on violin, and Alan Bern on piano/accordion

2012 Part-time Instructor at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Music (Director of the Carpathian Ensemble), Pittsburgh, PA

  • Presenting music from the Carpathian mountains

  • Leading sectionals

  • Arranging for the ensemble

  • Conducting ensemble

  •  

2012-2017 Clarinet Instructor (adjunct faculty) at Washington & Jefferson College, Washington, PA

Setting curriculum for clarinet studio • Scheduling

  • Audition juror

  • Faculty performances

     

2012 Part-time Instructor at the University of Pittsburgh, German Department (teaching German I, and II, as well as German For Reading Knowledge) Pittsburgh, PA

  • Setting curriculum for German language program

  • Scheduling

  • Organizing groups outside of class

  • Creating new pedagogical approaches to German language and education

2002 – 2007 Clarinet and Saxophone Instructor at the Musikwerkstatt (School for jazz and Popular music), Augsburg, Bavaria (Germany)

2002-2006 Middle-School Teacher with Tenure (2005) in Music and German, Realschule Voehringen, Bavaria Germany)

  • Setting curriculum

  • Scheduling

  • Conducting choir

  • Leading percussion ensemble

  • Organizing and conducting concerts

  • Field trips

  • Voice tutoring

     

 

Recordings (selected)

2020 Last Stop Sehnsucht (self-released) Brazilian Choro, Jazz, Venezuelan Waltzes and more. Susanne Ortner-Trio with James Singleton, and Nahum Zdybel.

2016 Die Weihnachtsgeschichte (original music, and Arrangements for Die Puppenkiste Augsburg). With Guy Klusevec, John Marcinizyn, Paul Thompson,

and international guest artists.

2012 Hot World Chamber Music (Wild about Harry! Records). With The Ortner- Roberts Duo

2012 Hill District Beat – A Tribute to Teenie Harris (soundtrack for Teenie Harris, Photographer: An American Story, produced by the Manchester Craftsmen’s

Guild). With The MCG All Stars.

2008 A Trip To America—A Yiddish/ Creole Fusion (Wild about Harry! Records). With The Ortner-Roberts Duo.

2007 Deadly Medicine: Creating a Master Race (Music for the Video: Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh)

2004 Khosn, Kale, Mazl-Tov! (self-released). With Sing Your Soul Quartet


 

 

Ensembles and Projects

2019 – Present Brazilian Trio Macumba with 7string guitarist Salvador Avila and percussionist Filipe Leite

2017 – Present Susanne Ortner Trio: Jazz and world with guitarist Nahum Zdybel and bassist James Singleton

2016 – Present Duo Ortner/Limberger: Jazz clarinet & guitar/violin/voice with Tcha Limberger (Belgium)

2012-2017 Duo Ortner-Roberts/Marcinizyn: Jazz clarinet & guitar with John Maricinzyn

2012-2016 Klez & Morim: Innovative Klezmer and Gypsy Jazz with Bulgarian accordionist Vladimir Mollov

2007-2013 Ortner-Roberts Duo (with pianist Tom Roberts)

Concerts at Allegheny Riverstone Center For The Arts, Temple Sinai, Sears Recital Hall, University of Dayton, Ocean County College, Ocean County Library, Byam Theatre, Aolian Hall in London/Ontario, Great Room of the National Transit Building in Oil City, Barukh College in Manhattan, Mozart- Festival in Foxburg, Jewish Music Festival Pittsburgh (together with vince Giordano and Roger Humphries)

2007 Solo Concert for Christian-Jewish-Dialogue (University of Dayton) 2003 - 2007

2003 – 2007 Solo project “Literature with Clarinet Accompaniment” (The City Theatre

Augsburg) 2003 1998-2008

2005 Kristallnacht Commemorations: Solo performances at the University of Pittsburgh, The Pittsburgh Holocaust Center, and area schools '

2003 Israel Tour (Tel Aviv and Jerusalem): Performances with violinist Nir Sarussi and accordionist Emil Eibinder

1998 – 2008 Klezmer Ensemble Sing Your Soul (founder) Augsburg

  • USA Tour: Concerts at Temple Sinai, Mt. Lebanon Public Library,

    University of Pittsburgh, The Holocaust Center)

  • Germany Tours: The Augsburg Synagogue, City Hall in Gersthofen, The Albert-Einstein Hall in Ulm, Bobingen Singold Hall, City Hall in Stadtbergen, Cultural Center in the Wolfgang-Eychmüller-Haus, Ulm,

1996 – 2000 Musikwerkstatt Bigband Augsburg

1995 – 98 Musikwerkstatt Saxophone quartet

1993 – 95 Bigband Wertingen

1994 – 97 Augsburg University Orchestra

1989 – 92 Bavarian Youth Symphony Orchestra

1987 – 92 Woodwind Ensemble Wertingen,


 

Book

2011 Co-author and subject of the book Living The Dream – Für die Musik nach Amerika: Die Klarinettistin Susanne Ortner-Roberts im Gespräch mit Helge Fuhst by Helge Fuhst, Wißner Verlag Augsburg

 

Overview:
Teaching students is a privilege, as well as a challenge. Every mind works differently, everyone's musical and life experiences are different. I enjoy figuring out how the student's mind works, and what individual learning experiences they bring. Then I tailor my way of teaching them most effectively to their specific learning system. My own musical journey has started with learning melodies by heart before learning them from written music – an approach that always requires sound outside of us. This teaches us to listen first. Even with classical music I like to start to internalize the music as I learn it. I believe that by listening well to one another, by digging deeply into a musical vocabulary that is different from that of our upbringings, is extremely enriching, and builds bridges. We learn by imitation, and yet we are creators ourselves who best discover our own voices, and develop our own musical expression by having absorbed and carefully listened to those who have come before us, and those with whom we coexist. Transcribing, and learning from transcriptions helps to learn to truly listen, to tune into all the subtleties of music, of sound, of phrasing. I often hear astounding improvisors who yet have to learn that music is always a shared experience, even if we are the soloist, there is always a musical fabric we are part of. Transcribing, and imitating are important tools for the students to create their own unique voice that is malleable given the specific context. To become free as an improviser requires having a vocabulary in the particular language that you want to communicate with, and also the confidence to do so. So much of improvisation is negotiation with your fellow musicians. I love to help students how to be active and responsive in the musical conversations with others by improvisation games, call and responses, leading vs. accompanying, and more. Apart from building up the students' confidence, and their individual musical voices, their vocabulary, and technical skills, it is my highest goal to equip students to bring joy, beauty, and depth to any musical performance. The road to it is to raise their awareness of a bigger context. No matter if we play a concerto, a clarinet duet, or are part of a jazz ensemble, we are always part of a bigger picture. In providing another voice for the students – by playing counter point for example – and helping them over time to do the same, supporting me in any kind of music, is a great tool to feel the mutual pulse, to develop a strong sense of time and rhythm even if there is no rhythm section around. There is a pulse in any kind of music that we want to be able to feel, hear, and fall into. We need to be truly “tuned in”, and yet self-sufficient as performers so that we can respond and act in any given musical context with great sensitivity and confidence.
EXPERIENCE
I have over 20 years of teaching experience. The age range has varied from 8 to 88! I teach beginning, intermediate and advanced students in intense private lessons, using traditional and non-traditional methods.   The focus can be Jazz, Classical, Brazilian Choro, Klezmer and other World musics.   I love to figure out how someone learns, how he responds to music, what methods are the most appropriate. It is a beautiful experience for me as well as for the student to connect to your inner voice, and to be able to express it and love it!   In the lessons I like to create a musical vocabulary which then will be used in context. I work with written music, but also by ear. Music is all about communication. I love to train my students in the joy of listening, imitating, creating. 
METHODS USED
Teaching students is a privilege, as well as a challenge. Every mind works differently, everyone's musical and life experiences are different. I enjoy figuring out how the student's mind works, and what individual learning experiences they bring. Then I tailor my way of teaching them most effectively to their specific learning system. My own musical journey has started with learning melodies by heart before learning them from written music – an approach that always requires sound outside of us. This teaches us to listen first. Even with classical music I like to start to internalize the music as I learn it. I believe that by listening well to one another, by digging deeply into a musical vocabulary that is different from that of our upbringings, is extremely enriching, and builds bridges. We learn by imitation, and yet we are creators ourselves who best discover our own voices, and develop our own musical expression by having absorbed and carefully listened to those who have come before us, and those with whom we coexist. Transcribing, and learning from transcriptions helps to learn to truly listen, to tune into all the subtleties of music, of sound, of phrasing. I often hear astounding improvisors who yet have to learn that music is always a shared experience, even if we are the soloist, there is always a musical fabric we are part of. Transcribing, and imitating are important tools for the students to create their own unique voice that is malleable given the specific context. To become free as an improviser requires having a vocabulary in the particular language that you want to communicate with, and also the confidence to do so. So much of improvisation is negotiation with your fellow musicians. I love to help students how to be active and responsive in the musical conversations with others by improvisation games, call and responses, leading vs. accompanying, and more. Apart from building up the students' confidence, and their individual musical voices, their vocabulary, and technical skills, it is my highest goal to equip students to bring joy, beauty, and depth to any musical performance. The road to it is to raise their awareness of a bigger context. No matter if we play a concerto, a clarinet duet, or are part of a jazz ensemble, we are always part of a bigger picture. In providing another voice for the students – by playing counter point for example – and helping them over time to do the same, supporting me in any kind of music, is a great tool to feel the mutual pulse, to develop a strong sense of time and rhythm even if there is no rhythm section around. There is a pulse in any kind of music that we want to be able to feel, hear, and fall into. We need to be truly “tuned in”, and yet self-sufficient as performers so that we can respond and act in any given musical context with great sensitivity and confidence.
LESSON STYLE
Teaching students is a privilege, as well as a challenge. Every mind works differently, everyone's musical and life experiences are different. I enjoy figuring out how the student's mind works, and what individual learning experiences they bring. Then I tailor my way of teaching them most effectively to their specific learning system. My own musical journey has started with learning melodies by heart before learning them from written music – an approach that always requires sound outside of us. This teaches us to listen first. Even with classical music I like to start to internalize the music as I learn it. I believe that by listening well to one another, by digging deeply into a musical vocabulary that is different from that of our upbringings, is extremely enriching, and builds bridges. We learn by imitation, and yet we are creators ourselves who best discover our own voices, and develop our own musical expression by having absorbed and carefully listened to those who have come before us, and those with whom we coexist. Transcribing, and learning from transcriptions helps to learn to truly listen, to tune into all the subtleties of music, of sound, of phrasing. I often hear astounding improvisors who yet have to learn that music is always a shared experience, even if we are the soloist, there is always a musical fabric we are part of. Transcribing, and imitating are important tools for the students to create their own unique voice that is malleable given the specific context. To become free as an improviser requires having a vocabulary in the particular language that you want to communicate with, and also the confidence to do so. So much of improvisation is negotiation with your fellow musicians. I love to help students how to be active and responsive in the musical conversations with others by improvisation games, call and responses, leading vs. accompanying, and more. Apart from building up the students' confidence, and their individual musical voices, their vocabulary, and technical skills, it is my highest goal to equip students to bring joy, beauty, and depth to any musical performance. The road to it is to raise their awareness of a bigger context. No matter if we play a concerto, a clarinet duet, or are part of a jazz ensemble, we are always part of a bigger picture. In providing another voice for the students – by playing counter point for example – and helping them over time to do the same, supporting me in any kind of music, is a great tool to feel the mutual pulse, to develop a strong sense of time and rhythm even if there is no rhythm section around. There is a pulse in any kind of music that we want to be able to feel, hear, and fall into. We need to be truly “tuned in”, and yet self-sufficient as performers so that we can respond and act in any given musical context with great sensitivity and confidence.
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