Susan John

Indian mezzo-soprano Susan John began her music career in choral and sacred music. She debuted as an oratorio soloist at the age of 16 in the Alice Tully Hall at New York City’s Lincoln Center where she was a soloist for Rutter’s "Magnificat" with the Clovis West Chamber Singers. She appeared with the group in performances at the Waikiki Pacific Basin Music Festival, Disney’s Epcot Center in Orlando, and the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew in New York. The same year she was a singer for the Fresno Opera League and placed 2nd in the Central Valley Vocal Competition. In 2002, Susan entered the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California where she studied under Elizabeth Hynes.

While at USC, Susan performed in several opera productions, musicals, and oratorio performances. Notable roles include Cherubino in Le Nozze Di Figaro, Third Lady in Die Zauberflote, and Mrs. Lovett in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. Upon graduation, she co-produced and starred in the world premiere of a modern and topical opera called The Stone House by composer Geoffrey Pope. The opera focused on the treacherous treatment of women in Southeast Asia. In 2010, Susan played the mezzo lead in the west coast premiere of Dreamplay, a contemporary opera by Swedish composer S.J. Pettersson. Both operas received rave reviews from music critics throughout Southern California.  

Keeping with her choral roots, Susan was a member of several musical ensembles between 2002 and 2005 including Oriana Singers, USC Concert Chorale, and the prestigious Thornton Chamber Singers under Dr. William Dehning. From 2006 to 2009, she was a section leader and soloist for the First Congregational Church of the Messiah working with pianist and music director Yana Reznik. She has appeared in performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Gustav Holst’s The Planets, Berlioz’s Tristia, and The Trojan March under the conduction of Esa Pekka Salonen.

Aside from classical performances, Susan is involved in the music world as a recording artist and philanthropist. Recently, she became a resident vocalist with Art of Elysium, a non-profit encouraging working artists and musicians to dedicate their time and talent to children who are fighting serious medical conditions. She released her solo debut opera album entitled "Chanson Boheme" in 2011. The album fuses ethnic instrumentation with traditional opera arias to make opera accessible to cultures on a global level.
Currently, Susan is doing outreach in various countries around the globe in order to bring classical music to children who do not have access to arts and music education. Her most recent projects are in Romania, Qatar, and Tanzania.