Susan studied piano with Elizabeth Pengelly and earned her ARCT from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She studied Composition and Theory with Composers Michael J. Rudman, Julian Miran and Heather Schmidt. She studied Piano Pedagogy with Mrs. Marina Geringas at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Susan is an Associate Composer of the CMC (Canadian Music Center).

Susan has published collections for piano, violin, flute, chamber music for toy pianos and choral works. You will find her violin music in the 2021 RCM Violin Series and her piano music is listed in the 2022 RCM Piano Syllabus, the Conservatory Canada Syllabus as well as the ACNMP’s Contemporary Showcase Syllabus. She also has many works published in the Canadian National Conservatory’s Northern Lights Publications.

Her award winning Arctic Voices for piano won the CFMTA Call for Compositions in 2011. In 2017 her piano piece The Road Goes On was included in the compilation of winning pieces along with four of her artwork images. And her piece For the Children, for Violin and Piano, won the CFMTA Call for Compositions in 2022. Her piano music has been chosen as required repertoire for Music Festival Composer Classes.

Susan is a founding member of Red Leaf Pianoworks, a living Composer’s collective which provides a web source for teachers and performers to quickly access exciting new piano repertoire. This website offers a chance to discover the latest new music from some of the prominent pedagogical composers of today.

Her Musical Language… Her piano music is celebrated for its originality, imagination, and unmistakable musical voice. Her works are crafted to inspire students while offering audiences music that is expressive, memorable, and full of character. Her compositions often feature striking percussive textures, unexpected splashes of dissonance, and rich emotional depth balanced by moments of subtlety and grace. Every work is thoughtfully crafted to tell a story, inviting performers to discover music that is emotionally resonant, artistically rewarding and unmistakably memorable. Whether performed in the studio, at festivals, or on the concert stage, Susan’s music is known for leaving a lasting impression – captivating performers, engaging audiences and creating recital moments that are distinctive, unforgettable and remain in the memory long after the final note has faded.

One of Susan’s passions is art. Many of her piano books contain her drawings to accompany the music and she is also kept busy providing cover designs and artwork for other artists.

“I love to draw, particularly images of dance and movement. I have always prioritized ‘line’ and how everything is expressed through movement – especially music. And I hear all my compositions that way”

I’ve put together a page of some of my line drawings that I’ve used in my composing and you may recognize them with my published books. This is certainly my ‘happy place’!