BIOGRAPHY

A native of Southwestern Kansas, Susan Stoderl began the study of piano at the age of four and voice at the age of twelve. After completing a Bachelor of Music Education degree at Wichita State University and thirty-six graduate hours in musicology, she earned a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from The Peabody Institute of Music of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. While at Peabody, she received both a scholarship and the Dushak Memorial Voice Award. Further graduate study was conducted at the Brahms Haus in Baden-Baden, Germany. As a singer she performed in operatic and concert venues in Kansas, Colorado, California, Maryland, New York and Massachusetts. She was a member of the Washington Opera chorus and was an apprentice at Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, New York.

Ms. Stoderl has worn many musical hats in her evolution from singer to composer/writer. From 1997-2001, Ms. Stoderl was the Executive and Music Director of what The New Yorker referred to as … that spunky little downtown opera company, Opera Nova.

After beginning to compose as the age of 50, Ms. Stoderl has written two complete operas, four song cycles, several choral pieces, numerous arrangements, one unpublished novel and miscellaneous poetry. Her compositions have been featured in a showcase of music by women composers at the Pulse Ensemble Theater, Lake Placid Center for the Arts, The New York International Fringe Festival, 21st International Word Day of Peace (Central Park Bandshell), The New York Public Library Donnell Music Series, Music at Emanuel (Queens, NY), The Brooklyn Lyceum Theatre, Music at Holy Trinity (Church of the Holy Trinity, NYC), Women in Music Festival (Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY), Brooklyn Repertory Opera and Musikanten Montana.

Her latest projects include a return to her earliest unfinished opera, One Summer Day, an multimedia opera/ballet, Myrddin's Prophecy, and a novel, Beyond the Mountains, set in Colorado during first half of the 20th century.

2010 Grant from Brooklyn Council of Arts for production of the fully-staged, orchestrated opera, The Veil of Forgetfulness, Brooklyn Repertory Opera.

2008 Women in Music Festival, Eastman School of Music, Rochester New York, premiere of Prairie Girl: Circa 1957-65.

2007 The Veil of Forgetfulness selected for reading in the 16th Annual "Music at Holy Trinity" concert series, New York, NY.

2005 Seclected for the Creative Capital Professional Development Program, a program for emerging artists in all disciplines, sponsored by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

2002 Grant from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council in conjunction with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs for her realization/ adaptation of Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre's Cephale et Procris.

ARTIST'S VISION

I have experienced life in many guises. I have worked as a pre-school teacher, waitress and legal secretary, ran a non-profit organization, sang opera, directed opera, arranged music, and have written books ,stories and poetry. All of these paths have led to my present path of writer and composer. Who I am is a work in progress.

From my earliest awareness, I have been drawn to ponder religion, spirituality, justice, and compassion. My work embodies my continual quest and findings.