Susan Young, Voice Teacher:

When a senior in high school, as a lark, soprano Susan Young, learned and performed the demanding role of Lucy in Menotti’s opera The Telephone. This led to a full scholarship for vocal performance at the University of Houston where she was a student of NYC Opera leading tenor John Druary. In Houston, Susan also performed the roles of Monica (The Medium), Musetta (La Boheme) and premiered the role of Tomo in Michael Horvitt’s opera “ Tomo”. She also performed with the Houston Grand Opera, The Gilbert & Sullivan Society and was a frequent guest soloist in many Houston churches. She was soloist in the Schubert Mass in G, Saint-Saens Christmas Oratorio, Handel’s Messiah, and Faure’s Requiem.

Susan was also an accomplished ballerina. In Houston, she performed as a soloist for the Allegro Ballet and was chosen to dance in the Houston Grand Opera’s performance of Samson and Delilah, choreographed by Russian ballerina Marina Svetlova. At the University of Houston, she danced the role of the Fury in Gluck’s Orfeo, which was choreographed by Patsy Swayze (mother of Patrick Swayze).

Graduate school brought Susan to Pittsburgh where she received her Master’s in Vocal Performance at Duquesne University. In Pittsburgh, she was a student of Julia Lerner May, Mija Novich and Lorenzo Malfatti. After graduation, she was asked to join the vocal faculty at Duquesne University and taught there for the next seven years. While at Duquesne, she was featured in many faculty performances, most notably several performance with Joe Negri.

While in Pittsburgh, Susan performed with the Pennsylvania Opera Festival where her riveting performance of Verdi’s Lady Macbeth was greeted with bravos. At the Festival, she also performed Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus) and Pamina (The Magic Flute). As a member of The Tuesday Musical club, she founded their opera program, performing in and directing The Medium. Her Gilbert & Sullivan roles include Mable (Pirates), Angelina (Trial by Jury) in Houston and Patience, Giannetta (Gondoliers) Elsa (Yeoman of the Guard) and Phyllis (Iolanthe) in Pittsburgh.

Susan is married to retired international leading operatic bass Les Young. In her travels with him, she had the opportunity meet many operatic greats and to study with his teachers, among them opera stars Jerome Hines and Ezio Flagello. She has two sons and one grandson.

Susan has taught in the Pittsburgh area for over 30 years. In 2000, she joined the faculty of Grove City College where she is Professor of Voice and director of the opera program. She teaches both classical and Broadway styles. Many of her students have performed leading roles in their high school musicals and at Act One, Wexford Acting and PMT. Seven of her students have received Gene Kelly Best Actor or Actress nominations and two have received Best Supporting Actress nominations. Two of her students have received Mancini Best Actress Awards. Many of her students have gone on to major in music and musical theater at such universities as Indiana Bloomington, Duquesne, Indiana Wesleyan, Point Park, Bowling Green, Oklahoma City University and Belmont. Her student, Christy Rodibaugh performs leading musical theater roles throughout the US, most notably two runs as Sister Hubert in CLO’s Nunsense. Another student, Kirsten Chambers, is currently singing leading roles in the operas of Wagner, Beethoven and Richard Strauss in Europe, Hong Kong and the United States and has just signed a contract to sing leading roles with the Metropolitan Opera.