Susan Collins (…) plays these extraordinary scores with a remarkable sureness of touch, following even the most unexpected shifts in phrasing and expressive direction with micro-fine precision. Her warm, rich sound works wonders in bringing this music alive, enhanced by a generous, medium-paced vibrato and sensitivity to dynamic shading that comes as no surprise when one learns that her mentors have included the great Thomas Zehetmair.
Julian Haylock
The Strad, May 2009
At age 14, Susan performed Sarasate’s Zigeunerweissen with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Patrick Thomas at the Sydney Opera House. Since that time, she has performed as soloist and recitalist throughout Australia, the USA and Europe. Susan has recorded many times for ABC FM, and 2MBS FM radio stations in live performance broadcasts as well as studio recorded recitals and has appeared numerous times in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Sunday Live series, performing as recitalist as well as in duo and trio combinations with Duncan Gifford and Sue-Ellen Paulsen as a founding member of Kingfisher Trio.
Commercial CD releases include the complete violin works of Raymond Hanson (Tall Poppies) with pianist, David Miller, the complete Schumann Piano Trios (ABC Classics) with Kingfisher Trio, and Fritz Hart Complete Music for Violin and Piano with pianist, Stephanie McCallum (Toccata Classics).
From 1992 until 2001, Susan held the position of Deputy Concertmaster of the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. While holding this position Susan acted regularly as Concertmaster for the AOBO, and accepted engagements as Guest Concertmaster with many orchestras around Australia, performing under the baton of Bonynge, Macerras, de Waart, Cillario, Hickox, Fiore, and many others. In 2003 Susan was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal for her contribution to Opera and Ballet in Australia
Susan as violin lecturer at the University of Newcastle from 2007 until 2011, and from 2014 until 2021, she held the position of Head of Strings and Orchestra at the University of Tasmania Conservatorium of Music. She now lives in Brisbane and teaches violin at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University.
In recent years, Susan has enjoyed performing as a featured artist in music festivals including Dark Mofo, Synesthesia and Ten Days on the Island festivals, and the Bangalow Festivals. She has performed with Southern Cross Soloists, and Ensemble Q.
During 2022, Susan was a featured artist at the Newcastle Music Festival, joined the panel of international judges on the Lipizer Violin Competition in Italy, and founded the Nova Muse Festival in Penguin, Tasmania, for which she is Artistic Director. She is currently working with the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra, to conduct the orchestra’s final Metro Concert of 2022 ‘Spirit and Grandeur’ on November 27, and is looking forward to returning to Wagga Wagga in January for the Riverina Summer School for Strings, which remains a highlight of the year.