"Susan,
I wish ALL my students studied with you. You have made such a difference in all of your students' lives. THANK YOU!"

~Dr. Marion Roberts, BVNHS Band Director, 5/07

~Hao Zhu 4/08

     Both Susan and her students have been requested to teach/perform at the National Flute Association Convention this summer, 2008, in K.C., as they were in '94.  More information can be found on the Opportunities page.

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 A native of Kansas City, Flutist Susan Murphy has appeared as featured soloist with the Youth Symphony of Kansas City, the Kansas City Symphony, the former K.C. Camerata, the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra and the NewEar Ensemble, the latter of which she is a co-founder. She has also performed as a regular member for over eight years with the professional ensembles:   K.C. Camerata, NewEar; and for many more years the free lance groups: Rafael Trio and the Classical Muse Ensemble.  Recital locations include N.Y.C., Cincinnati, and enumerous in K.C.  She has performed flute, piccolo and alto flute with many of K.C.’s Theater League productions (local music group for national, traveling musicals like Camelot, Annie, etc.), the National Flute Association Convention, the K.C. Chamber Orchestra.  She has twice been a finalist in Myrna Brown International Flute Competition in Texas, a prize recipient at Julius Baker's Connecticut summer class.   Susan has also been a  featured performer on Cincinnati Public Radio.

     Susan received her Bachelor’s Degree in Performance from the UMKC Conservatory, attended Manhattan School of Music in NYC and completed her Masters Degree in Performance on a full scholarship at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory in 1991.  Master class performances for, or, summer studies with, include many of our flute greats:  James Galway, Paula Robison, Jimmy Walker, the late Julius Baker, Leone Buyse, Julia Bogorad, Jeffrey Khaner, the late Sam Baron, the late Thomas Nyfenger, Bonnie Boyd and more.  

      During her many years of studying and 30+ years of performing, Susan has always enjoyed instructing flutists of all ages and levels.  She has taught at Cincinnati's School for the Performing Arts, the UMKC Conservatory, and Pittsburgh State University. She has been requested to teach at other colleges and has adjudicated for many local school events and competitions, given master classes at local high schools.  Her students have been featured concerto soloists, continue to be members in the Kansas City Youth Symphony, and hold principal and other chairs in the All State and District Bands, as well as their school ensembles.  They have performed with the Kansas City Symphony, at the National Flute Association Convention, many times for the Kansas City Flute Association, participated in and been scholarship recipients at summer music camps local and out of town, and performed at local nursing homes for over the last 17 years.