ABOUT SUSAN
With a voice that’s been described as warm and enchanting, Susan Shantora is widely recognized as one of the leading singers and voice teachers in the Northwest Territories and a well-known music educator in Yellowknife.
Susan is a friendly, positive and motivated teacher and musician who under the umbrella of the Yellowknife School District #1 has worked at K’alemi Dene, J.H. Sissons and Range Lake North Schools. Currently, she is the music teacher at Ecole Sir John Franklin High School and teaches Band, Choir and Guitar to grades 9-12.
In the Fall of 2018, Susan helped to create the YK1 Music Academy for middle school band and choir students that has fostered enthusiasm and skill development in music for youth in the YK1 schools. This program is for all middle school students and provides both support at the beginner stages and enrichment for those who wish it.
Susan continues to perform with Classics on Stage Yellowknife and has performed with Table 4 Five, BAM!, Yellowknife Choral Society, The Northern Divas under the NACC Mentorship Program, and her own Chilly Classics.
Susan is a passionate music educator and has run a summer Theatre Camp through the City of Yellowknife for many years to help encourage involvement and skill development in the Performing Arts.
Susan is the founder of and continues to be a coordinator with the Yellowknife Music Festival, a series of musical events that brings together over 300 amateur musicians each year. The Yellowknife Music Festival is the main project of the Music Teacher’s Association – NWT of which Susan is the current President.
As conductor of the Yellowknife Youth Choir, Susan has worked with the Gryphon Trio on the Listen Up! NWT music education project involving 75 singers from 6 communities and has performed at the Toronto Centre of the Performing Arts with the Bach Children’s Chorus and at the Windspear Centre in Edmonton as part of the Alberta Children’s Choir North Gala. Also with the Youth Choir, Susan has toured Halifax and performed with the Cantatrice Girl’s Choir.
With an educational background in music from the University of Alberta (MMus.), Acadia University (B.Ed.), and the University of Toronto (B.Mus.), Susan brings a traveled repertoire of talents and skills from across Canada as well as Europe having lived there for six years.