Susan Glass, artistic director

Artistic Director

Susan Glass has enjoyed a rich and varied career as a music educator, having taught children and adults in many diverse settings. She began her career at Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School, where she taught music and founded three children’s choruses, and an adult chorus, which became The Glass Menagerie. She was a longtime member of the faculty at the New York University Summer Kodály Institute. For several years she taught at the Gateway School of New York — a special setting for children with learning disabilities. She has returned to LREI as a Middle School and High School vocal teacher and choral director. Over the years, her students have participated in concerts with Pete Seeger and with Peter, Paul and Mary at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and on PBS television. Susan is a frequent clinician and guest conductor throughout the United States. She is co-founder of the Kodály Organization of New York and has served two terms on the national board of the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE). She was honored to receive the 2015 OAKE Outstanding Educator Award, and she conducted the OAKE National Women’s chorus at their 2017 conference in Philadelphia. She holds a doctorate in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She sings with Cerddorion, a vocal chamber ensemble.

Accompanist

Benjamin Balatbat is a pianist and music director based in New York City. He has music directed shows for community theater groups throughout the city including the Gallery Players, the Heights Players, and Narrows Community Theatre. He has also worked as a dance pianist for the Misty Copeland Foundation and the National Dance Institute and as a vocal accompanist at HB Studios, AMDA, and Pace University. Benjamin is excited to be working with The Glass Menagerie for a second season.