Dr. Suzanne Newcomb has been teaching piano full-time for 39 years. She received her graduate degrees in piano performance from The Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University: a Master of Music and then a Doctor of Musical Arts, studying piano under Leon Fleisher. She completed her Bachelor of Music degree at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
An active solo and collaborative artist, Dr. Newcomb had a wonderfully full performance schedule this past season. Highlights include a Mozart concerto in November, a violin/piano duo concert with Dr. Juan Ortega, and recitals with visiting artists such as baritone Daniel Neer and violinist Siwoo Kim. She is an associate musician in the Columbus Symphony and ProMusica, and principal keyboardist for the New Albany Symphony, Worthington Chamber Orchestra, and Westerville Symphony. Suzanne plays regularly in the extraordinary music program at her church, First Community, as well as performing chamber music in their concert series. This year she presented a piano trio recital, with music by Beethoven, Brahms, and Bernstein.
Suzanne traveled to Austria this summer to serve as collaborative pianist and coach for the AlpenKammerMusik 2024 festival. She coached clarinetists and violinists for two weeks and played in the culminating four recitals.
At the 2023 MTNA conference in Reno, NV, Dr. Newcomb was honored as an MTNA Foundation Fellow, a tremendous lifetime-achievement honor. A permanent charitable fund has been set up in her name.
Suzanne stays involved in her continuing education. She regularly attends piano pedagogy seminars and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, as well as the district, state, and national MTNA Conferences. She has presented lectures to national audiences at both the 2015 and 2019 MTNA Conferences in Las Vegas and Spokane, respectively. Suzanne also presented a lecture-recital on Women Composers at the NKU Piano Pedagogy seminar. After serving as president at both the district and state levels, she is just finishing her 4-year term as chair of the Independent Music Teachers Forum for the Central East District. She often judges statewide piano events such as Buckeye, OMTA/Graves, CMTA, the CSO Young Musicians, and MTNA competitions.
Dr. Newcomb is a senior lecturer (applied piano lessons and chamber music) and staff pianist at Otterbein University. When Suzanne is not involved with all things music, she enjoys cooking, traveling, taking long walks with Luna, and attending concerts with her mom. She lives in Upper Arlington with her husband Ted and has three grown children, Holly, Alex, and Tyler.
Suzanne at work in Liesing, Austria