Susan LaFever, international soloist, has performed concerts throughout the United States, Western Europe, Latin America and Asia. Reviewed by the New York Times, she was called “bold and striking” with “a confident lyric quality”.

As a recitalist, Ms. LaFever has appeared at the American Landmark Festivals at Federal Hall, St. Bartholomew’s Tuesday Chapel Concerts, and the Noonday Concert Series at St. Paul’s Chapel, all in Manhattan. Outside of Manhattan, she has performed at the Brooklyn Museum Sunday Afternoon Concert Series, Queens College and Downtown Music at Grace, White Plains, NY, among others.

Soloing with orchestras, Ms. LaFever has been in front of such groups as the Doansburg Chamber Orchestra, Rutgers University Orchestra, South Orange Symphony Orchestra and with Bergen Youth Orchestra who asked for a return engagement.

Ms. LaFever also performs extensively as a chamber musician, and has played in major metropolitan concert halls, on TV and on radio, including Weill (Carnegie) Recital Hall, Merkin Hall, Town Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, all in New York City; and Royal Albert Hall in London. She appeared live on CBS as part of the music opening the 2005 Women’s Finals at the US Open with Idina Menzel, star of Broadway’s Wicked, and Il Divo, pop/classical male vocal group. She has also been heard live on WAMC’s “Performance Place” hosted by Paul Elisha in Albany, and on national TV in Mexico City.

As a clinician, Ms. LaFever has given master classes at the University of Iowa, Western Illinois University, and the University of California, Santa Barbara as well as clinics/performances at the Northeast Horn Workshops ‘06, ‘08, ‘10 and Kean University. Most recently, she played the world premiere of Adrienne Albert’s War Stories at the International Horn Symposium 2012.

A graduate of the University of Nebraska and Manhattan School of Music, Ms. LaFever is Principal Horn of Doansburg Chamber Ensemble, Third Horn of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra , and Hornist with the Zinkali Trio. She has been called to play extra with the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera. She is a former co-principal of the Sarasota Opera, former fourth horn of the New Jersey Opera Festival and has subbed on Broadway in The Lion King, The Sound of Music and Cats.

Susan’s playing can be heard on the educational video Penn & Teller; Harmony with conductor Joanne Falletta as well as the documentary The Sopranos Unauthorized.

Susan LaFever, Hornist, Pianist, Organist, Conductor - www.susanlafever.com

QUOTES & THANKS

“Thanks for a great program! You all were wonderful, and the music was very interesting. Thanks again for an outstand-ing concert last week- you played beautifully!”— Alan Parshley, Lecturer in Horn, University of Vermont

“Susan LaFever is a very talented hornist... She combines a lovely legato style with an agile technique and superior musicianship.”— David Jolley, Soloist, Recitalist and Chamber Musician

“Thank you for your excellent presentation here this past month. The students really enjoyed hearing your performance and your master class. Excellent work!”— Randall E. Faust, Composer; Professor of Horn, Western Illinois University

“I have found [Susan] to be possessed of an innate musical sense, and a naturalness in her articulation of musical ideas. I believe that she is a player who has a lot to say on her instrument. In addition, she has the technical wherewith-al to make her ideas sound. She is a musician I enjoy listening to, which I consider high praise indeed.”— Joseph Anderer, Member, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Member, Orchestra of St. Luke’s & St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble

“Susan [is] a fine artist with an excellent sense of musical line. Combining this natural musicianship with her fluid tech-nique, she [is an] outstanding soloist.”— Allen French, Professor of Horn, Grand Valley State University

REVIEWS

“[The] program opened with a very ambitious work: “Concerto, Opus 91,” by Reinhold Gliere. LaFever proved to be equal to all the complex work presented, and she showed a great variety of tonal expression, both spirited and vigor-ous, to sweet and mellow tones. The horn is a most challenging brass instrument, requiring complete mastery of pitch, of which LaFever was always in complete control.”— Daily Gate City, Keokuk, IA

“Each [performer] had at least one important moment, and none disappointed. Particularly notable: Susan LaFever’s shapely horn solo in the gracious Minuet.” —The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ

“The orchestra did a handsome job of accompanying Badura-Skoda. Notable was Susan LaFever’s...excellent perfor-mance.” — Journal-Star, Lincoln, NE

“Top honors go to hornist Susan LaFever, whose performance of the famous (Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony) second movement horn solo was shapely and secure.”— The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ

“In each of the works, the horn section had a major role. Performer Susan LaFever contributed a great deal. [Her] solo in the Beethoven was particularly effective.”— Journal-Star, Lincoln, NE

“The ensemble was as stylish in Gershwin’s jazzy scoring as in his more conventional orchestration. There were fine contributions from Susan LaFever [and others].”— New York Times, New York, NY

SUSAN LAFEVER

Susan LaFever, Hornist, Pianist, Organist, Conductor - www.susanlafever.com

SUSAN LAFEVER

Susan LaFever, Hornist, Pianist, Organist, Conductor - www.susanlafever.com

SUSAN LAFEVER

Susan LaFever, Hornist, Pianist, Organist, Conductor - www.susanlafever.com

SUSAN LAFEVER

Susan LaFever, Hornist, Pianist, Organist, Conductor - www.susanlafever.com

SUSAN LAFEVER

Susan LaFever, Hornist, Pianist, Organist, Conductor - www.susanlafever.com