Youth Music Monterey County is pleased to announce Suzanne Mudge will become its new Executive Director beginning August 2019. Sue will continue as Coach of YMMC’s Brass Ensemble.
Sue offers a wealth of experience as an educator, musician, and administrator to Youth Music Monterey County. She enjoys mentoring young musicians, and has dedicated much of her career towards creating musical opportunities for youth.
Sue currently serves as Director of Community Engagement at the Carmel Bach Festival and has been a trombonist with the Festival for over thirty years. She will leave this position following the Bach Festival’s 2019 Season, which takes place July 13-27 (see https://bachfestival.org/). In addition to playing in the Festival’s Orchestra and directing both Tower Music and community outreach concerts, Sue created and scripts The Epic Adventures of Leonard and Rasmus, a series of interactive and educational concerts for families premiered at the Carmel Bach Festival.
She has designed other successful and popular music education programs for the Festival, including Crossing Cultures and Sing Out Loud!
Prior to joining the Carmel Bach Festival administrative staff, Sue taught at Central Oregon Community College in Bend, The Seven Peaks School, and was guest conductor of the Central Oregon Music Educators Association Honor Band. In addition, she performed with the Central Oregon Symphony, the Eugene Symphony, the Bend Brass Quintet, and soloed with the Linfield Chamber Orchestra. Her trombone students placed consistently in the top five at the Oregon State Solo and Ensemble Festivals. Before moving to Bend, Sue was an active freelance musician and music educator in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was Principal Trombone of the Women’s Philharmonic in San Francisco and the Modesto Symphony. She also performed regularly with the Fremont, Marin, Berkeley, and San Jose Symphonies. She recorded numerous CD’s at Skywalker Ranch and with the Band Director at Lowell High School in San Francisco. Sue grew up in Laguna Beach and has a B.M. from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music, a M.M. From the University of Arizona, and a teaching credential from Notre Dame de Namur University.
Sue will be missed by the Carmel Bach festival. However, her joining YMMC represents many wonderful advantages for the young musicians of Monterey County. Her knowledge of both the Carmel Bach Festival and Youth Music Monterey County will help to build the ties between these and other music organizations.
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