| Suzanne Frances Ortuso Artistic Director Suzanne Ortuso’s early musical studies began in Sydney. Soon after moving to Hobart, in 1973, she began teaching music as well as and being musical advisor to several schools in Hobart. Suzanne has been involved in many aspects of classical music making in Hobart, including holding the posts of chairperson of the Southern Branch of the Music Teacher’s Association for six years, publicity officer and musical advisor for the City of Clarence Eisteddfod Society for ten years. During this period Suzanne wrote numerous articles on music for several magazines including the Tasmanian newspaper ‘Child Life’, and continual contributions to the journal of the Tasmanian Music Teachers Association. Click image to enlarge Suzanne has given workshops and lectures at state and national institutions on various musical subjects including ‘stagefright’ . Her work in the community is an important activity. She regularly performs with her students at homes for the elderly and senior citizen’s organizations. Suzanne believes that it is of paramount importance for the young artists to be made aware of the great gift of sharing. Over the last ten years Suzanne has dedicated herself in the pursuit of understanding the phenomena of the human voice through it’s developmental stages. This has led her to intimate comparisons and analysis of various schools, famous singers of the past and present and their methods. In early 2000 Suzanne formed ‘Bel Canto Australia’, a school of classical singing for the sole purpose training young voices in the disciplines of classical singing, speech drama and performing. As a result of the remarkable response and progress of these young artists, Suzanne formed the new Tasmanian opera company ‘Bel Canto Young Opera’ Inc. This company provides further singing and stage developmental opportunities to young artists enabling them to seriously consider embarking on an operatic career. ‘Bel Canto Young Opera’ was invited to participate at the 2003 ‘Ten Days on The Island Festival’ with it’s Australian premier production of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’s opera ‘Cinderella”. Several of Suzanne’s students have represented Tasmania performing and competing on the national and international stage. Suzanne Ortuso is currently a voice instructor at the University of Tasmania Conservatorium of Music. |  More . . . |