Susan Bergeron, Cello
Mike and Anne Armstrong Chair
Susan Bergeron began playing at the age of 4. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Akron and a bachelor’s degree with honors from the New England Conservatory, where her principal teachers were Bernard Greenhouse and David Wells. Following the completion of her bachelor’s degree, Susan was a member and principal cellist of the New World Symphony for two seasons, during which the orchestra toured Japan and England where she collaborated in two special chamber concert performances with Sir Georg Solti at the piano in London. She participated in the 1994 Solti Orchestral Project at Carnegie Hall and, for four summers, performed with the Colorado Music Festival. Susan played for 10 seasons in the former Florida Philharmonic, the last two seasons as assistant principal.
An active chamber musician, she has performed throughout the country, extensively in South Florida as a founding member of the Dalbergi Trio and, for the past 17 summers, with the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival.
Susan received her Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Miami in the spring of 2009. She resides in Sunrise, Florida, with her husband Chuck Bergeron, a professor of jazz studies at the University of Miami, and their son, Jack. She enjoys travel, cooking and an occasional sudoku puzzle. Susan has been a member of the Naples Philharmonic since 2006.
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The facts:
I am from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I studied at the New England Conservatory for my bachelor’s, the University of Akron for my master’s and the University of Miami for my Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA). Out of the six people in my immediate family, three of us have DMAs (father, sister and me) and Chuck, my husband, has a Ph.D. in education. I joined the Naples Philharmonic in 2006 after playing for 10 years in the Florida Philharmonic, which went bankrupt in 2003.
What has been your most memorable moment with the orchestra?
When I won a prize in the orchestra’s Halloween costume contest!!
What inspired you to become a musician?
My parents! They had me start playing the cello when I was four, but I really wanted to be a musician after attending Kinhaven, a fantastic music camp in Weston, Vermont.
What is the most enjoyable part of your job?
I love the reaction of the audience to our performances, both orchestral and chamber music! We have the best fans!
What’s challenging about playing your instrument?
The older I get(!), the more difficult it is to sit for long periods of time, so consecutive days of many rehearsals is more tiring than it used to be!
What are your favorite compositions?
Strauss’ Four Last Songs, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde and Brahms’ Piano Quartet No. 3 in C Minor.
What have you been listening to recently?
Imagine Dragons Believer, Coldplay Clocks, string quartets and my son playing the piano.
Are there other musicians in your immediate family?
Yes, everyone in my family plays an instrument: My father plays the organ, my mother and sister play the violin, my husband plays jazz bass and my son, Jack, plays piano.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I like to ride bicycles, cook, do Sudoku puzzles, snuggle with my son, spend time with my family, travel and eat!