Susanne Barkan was born in 1959, lived in Brooklyn, then Long Island.

Her musical life centered on classical flute and piano for many years, though she also taught herself to play folk guitar. Her high school years were full of instrumental music and creative writing. Her mother played the piano, adored the opera and always had the kitchen radio tuned to WNYC. Their record shelves were home to The Beatles, Melanie, Bob Dylan, Theodore Bikel, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, David Bromberg, and more.

At Home with the Family

While attending Hampshire College in Amherst, MA,

Susanne discovered the traditional tunes and ballads of Scotland, Ireland and England. Contra dancing and concerts by Boys of the Lough, Martin Carthy, Robin Williamson, Louis Killen, Cilla Fischer & Artie Trezise, made a lasting impression. Susanne switched from creative writing to ethnomusicology, doing her graduation thesis from Hampshire College on the History and Performance of Folksongs and Ballads from Scotland. As part of the research for this work, Susanne traveled in Scotland and England, studied Ballad Singing with Jean Redpath, and poured through many resources at the Cecil Sharp house in London. The opening number at her graduation concert was a duet with bagpiper Kirsten Cook, also a Hampshire College student at the time. That was 1980.

after several years performing at coffeehouses, concert halls and on radio in Western Mass. Her renditions of unaccompanied ballads revealed a singer with a highly expressive style. Her guitar playing in open tunings conveyed the energy and mystery of traditional music. Susanne hosted a radio show on WMUA called 'The Celtic Tradition' and helped produce several concerts for the Pioneer Valley Folklore Society. These included shows by Silly Wizard, Jean Redpath, John & Phil Cunningham, Robin Williamson, and others. She was tour manager for Robin Williamson in 1987, and coordinated 'Celtic Week' in 1988 at Fiddle & Dance Camp in Ashokan, NY, hiring and scheduling workshops with Seamus Eagan, Eileen Ivers, Billy McComisky, Mark Simos, and many others, including the amazine Alistair Anderson.

The Dynamic Singing Workshop brought together 20 singers from the US and Canada, to work with Bobby McFerrin in a five-day intensive. This experience allowed Susanne to develop a new sense of adventure in her singing. Improvisation, it seems, is another path along the folk process. Much of Susanne's repertoire had originated in an oral tradition, with lyrics and tunes being 'influenced' by each singer along the way. After working with Mr. McFerrin, Susanne began to experience her musical role not just as a preserver of old songs and tunes, but as someone who is called to put her own distinctive, deeply personal mark on every song she sings. With this fresh inspiration, Susanne's concerts began to branch into new avenues. She spent several years collaborating with other members of the Dynamic Singing Workshop in a cappella concerts. Some of these concerts were called "Almost Totally Unaccompanied Voices" - the title reflecting the philosophy that by singing we call something into being, and that something is there with us while we sing, and so there is no such thing as TOTALLY unaccompanied singing.
 
 

Susanne Barkan and "The Workshop" performing live on Continential Cablevision's "Cityfolk" concert series, August 1989.  Left to right: Susanne Barkan, Dave Davies, Maria Robbins, Karma Martell, Mark Johnson, Paul Zimmermann.

At these concerts audiences were treated to a lively array of material, from original songs by Paul Zimmermann, a Canon by J.S. Bach, songs by Stevie Wonder, lots of improvisation in both jazz and free-form styles, as well as re-workings of traditional folksongs that showed the influence of spontaneous music making.

Click here for a concert review "Look Mom...No Instruments"

Click here for an interview  "Singing? Don't Worry, Be Happy!"

In 1992, collaborations with her fellow workshop members,

most of whom were based in NYC, grew scarce. Susanne was teaching Jazzercise and working part-time jobs. She took a break from performing, got married, had a child, bought a house with her husband near Greenfield, MA and waited for 'the next set of operating instructions.'

In 1997 Susanne taught her first session of Toast & Jam

vocal improv workshops at Hampshire College. She wanted to create an environment in which singers could explore the art of free-form improvisation. With a few ideas, lots of energy, her nursing son tucked under her shirt, Toast & Jam was born. It was a huge success with 30 students and unforgettable one-of-a-kind music.

Susanne has continued learning, teaching and building her curriculum since that first Toast and Jam Workshop. Her newest project, The Toast & Jam Vocal Band, is also under way. See RECENT PROJECTS for the many ways Susanne has continued her work.