Susann McDonald

McDonald, Susann
(b Rock Island, IL, 26 May 1935). American harpist and teacher. After training in Chicago and New York, she studied from the age of 15 in Paris, at first privately with Henriette Renié, then with Lily Laskine at the Conservatoire, where she gained a premier prix in 1955.

She won second prize at the first Israel International Harp Contest in 1959. Technically impeccable, she has played as a soloist in Europe, Australia, Japan, Israel and South America, as well as in the USA and Canada, and gives many masterclasses. She has recorded much of the more neglected harp repertory, and given first performances of many works composed for her, including Joseph Wagner's Fantasy Sonata, LaSalle Spier's Sonata, and Camil Van Hulse's Suite, all for solo harp. A teacher of great distinction, she succeeded Marcel Grandjany at the Juilliard School in 1975, continuing to teach there until 1985. From 1981 she also taught at Indiana University where she was chairman of the harp department and where, in 1989, she was named Distinguished Professor of Music. She has been artistic director of the World Harp Congress since its inception in 1975 and is founder and musical director of the triennial USA International Harp Competition.