Education
M.M. Voice Performance, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Bachelor of Music Therapy, Shenandoah University; Graduate Coursework in Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Vocal Pedagogy, Shenandoah University
Biography
Susan Kirkland comes to Wharton with extensive experience as a performer, applied voice teacher, and public music educator. She is the former Department Head of Music and Performing Arts for New Providence School District, where she led the high school vocal and choral music program for twenty years. At New Providence High School, she conducted the Concert, Select, and Jazz Choirs, music directed and produced spring musicals, and taught Voice Class. She was recognized as NPHS Teacher of the Year in 2013. Susan’s high school students consistently achieved acceptance into Region, All-State, All-Eastern, and All-National choral ensembles. Many of her students have attended the nation’s top voice and musical theatre university programs, including Carnegie Mellon, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Manhattan School of Music, and NYU. Prior to coming to New Providence, she held teaching positions with Durham Public Schools in NC, UNC-Greensboro, The Actors Institute in NYC, Music Together, and in her own private voice/piano studio. Ms. Susan has toured the US with the New York City Opera National Company, and she performed with the Liederkranz, DiCapo Opera Theatre, Des Moines Metro, and Light Opera of New Jersey companies, American Opera Projects, NYGASP, Opera at Florham and Opera at the Algonquin in NYC. Susan earned a Bachelor of Music Therapy Degree with concentrations in Voice and Piano from Shenandoah University and her M.M. in Voice Performance from UNC-Greensboro. She continued her training with graduate level work in Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Vocal Pedagogy at Shenandoah, Certification in Somatic VoiceworkTM, and Circlesongs Vocal Improvisation and Collaboration with Bobby McFerrin.