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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Composing and Arranging for theatre productions

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

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

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