Susan Pardue

What do you want patrons of the Symphony to know about you?
I have tremendous respect for the musicians I play with and the music that we play.

Do you have any pre-concert rituals or routines?
Yes, but they vary depending on the concert. I usually go for a run and then drink a lot of water. Sometimes I take a nap.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a professional musician?
I would probably be involved in helping people in some other way.

What teacher, mentor or other influencer inspired you the most?
I can narrow it down to two. My main teacher was Sally Peck. She played with the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. I was also very fortunate to be able to study with Piero Farulli, the violist of Quartetto Italiano. He was a monster violist and quite a personality.

What do you do in your spare time?
I mostly practice, but I also spend time playing chamber music, teaching and running.

Who is your favorite composer?
I try to convince myself that whatever music I am playing is music by my favorite composer. Whatever I am playing needs to be my favorite in that moment.

Education
High school diploma and Bachelor of Music at North Carolina School of the Arts, Master of Music at The Juilliard School, postgraduate study at La Scuola di Musica di Fiesole as a Fulbright Scholar.