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Maestro Benjamin J. Wade
Benjamin J. Wade, Artistic Director, Conductor and co-founder of the Susanville Symphony, began his musical career as a child in Knoxville, Tennessee. A child prodigy on Trumpet, Maestro Wade had made appearances with the Knoxville Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphony and the New York Metropolitan Opera, and was hailed as one of the best young trumpet players in the world after winning the prestigious International Trumpet Guild Competition CG Conn Award in 1988 – at age sixteen. He later received his Masters of Music in Conducting from the University of Nevada under the tutelage of Dr. Mack MacGrannahan.
Maestro Wade’s musical insight, passion for beauty in music, demanding expectations for the orchestra, and charisma, have captivated audiences and inspired our community to not only support the Susanville Symphony, but raise it to new heights. “I have always asked the musicians to think not just of the notes, but the music as well. We want to do so much more than just play the notes, we want to make people weep, smile, laugh, and ponder what we play. We seek that beauty not just in an entire composition, but in the individual bars and notes themselves.”
Wade’s interests beyond music have given him the sobriquet “Renaissance Man”.
In 2009 he starred in the CBS TV Primetime Series Survivor: Tocantins, becoming known to millions as “coach”. The nickname tagged from his other passion in life, coaching college soccer, is well earned as he holds one of the highest win percentages of collegiate coaches today, a record of 148-47-13 in twelve years.
Beyond music and sports, Wade is an accomplished adventurer. One of his proudest feats came in 1996, when he set the world’s record for the longest solo sea-kayak expedition as he paddled six-thousand-one-hundred-thirty-two miles from San Felipe, Baja California to Punta Charambira, Colombia, the feat recorded in the historical novel A Voyage Beyond Reason.
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Matt Mullin - Band Leader
The Susanville Symphony’s Swing Band Leader, Matt Mullin, grew up in San Francisco, and later San Rafael, California.
“I almost went into the military after high school, but ended up securing a few contract music jobs around the Bay Area instead. The latter option seemed much more interesting to me at the time. I played in quite a few bands and orchestras during the late 70’s and early 80’s, but some of my most pleasant memories involved busking with a trio in San Francisco, playing a mixture of ragtime and Dixieland jazz on busy street corners. I must add that my mother, Betty, was always my greatest inspiration and fan, regardless of the music genre.”
In 2004, urged on by Susanville Symphony Conductor Benjamin Wade, and with the help and support of fellow musicians and Symphony supporters, Matt formed the Symphony’s Swing Band. Stepping into the bandleader role, he has guided the 1940’s style “big band” orchestra through many successful performances that have delighted local audiences.
Most recently, Matt married Russian Mezzo-Soprano Ludmila Polyakova, formerly of the St Petersburg Musical Comedy Opera Company. Having met during a musical performance here in Susanville in 2006, Ludmila returned to Susanville in September 2008, so the couple could make their relationship permanent. Matt and Ludmila will make their home in Janesville.
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Susanna Blackwood- Youth Symphony Conductor
Born to lead and inspire, Susanna has always had a passion for the Arts, particularly Music. She began violin lessons at age seven and was soon a member of the Boise Elementary Honor Orchestra, in Boise Idaho. At age 10 her family moved to Alabama, and she had no violin teachers and no orchestra to perform in. Her mother, a firm believer in music education, was determined that she continue her studies and signed her up for the school band, where she enthusiastically latched on to the saxophone. She was a member of the All State Band in Alabama through out high school.
Susanna has an unyielding passion for instrumental music, and currently teaches band at 3 schools as well as conducting the Youth Orchestra, and the Community Summer Band. In her spare time she gives private lessons and performs in several groups, musical and thespian.
She approaches teaching with a lively sense of humor, and makes sure that, above all else, the musicians are having fun.
In addition to saxophone, Susanna plays the flute, bassoon, and has a great time with the ukulele. She performs in the Susanville Repertoire Company, loves to cook, garden, and play with her much-loved dogs. She and her husband Scott have made Susanville their home for more than 20 years.
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