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Arts Administrator

Ms. Durnin is currently the Administration Lead at the Mississauga Arts Council where she manages the charity’s operations, grant writing and reporting, program development and management, and facilitation of two signature events: The MARTY Awards and the MACsquerade Ball.

Previously, she worked as an Artist Representative at Andrew Kwan Artists Management Inc. to develop both marketing and career strategies for artists. As an administrator, she completed an internship with the Canadian Opera Company, working for the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Susan was also the Communications Director of the inaugural 2015 Bassoonapalooza, a one-day bassoon festival held in Toronto.

Susan also administered and performed on the Excelsior Ensemble Chamber Series that ran for two seasons in Toronto’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. This series was a musicians’ collective that featured an array of instrumentation highlighting the woodwinds.

As a musician, she is an active bassoonist involved in performances around Southern Ontario. Susan has performed in the sections of many orchestras including Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra.

Susan holds a Certificate in Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Management through Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)’s Chang School of Continuing Education. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Bassoon Performance from the University of Manitoba studying with Allen Harrington. She then moved to Toronto and completed her Artist Diploma from The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory in the studios of Kathleen McLean and Nadina Mackie Jackson. She continues the tradition of bassoon teaching with a studio of her own as well as teaching at the prestigious arts high school, Cardinal Carter Academy.

During her free time, she is involved with a quirky electric bassoon quartet, who can be found performing pop tunes across Toronto. Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Susan now calls Toronto home.

December 2022