About Sam
My name is Sam Suggs and I am an international award-winning double bass soloist, educator, performer-composer, and collaborator in a variety of genres. I was blessed to receive a tenure-track position at James Madison University at the age of 25 and I have performed in diverse venues across four continents including concerts at New York City's Carnegie Hall as well as in rural Ghanaian villages and medieval German castles. I believe creativity and education form the core of all music making.
My name is Sam Suggs and I am an international award-winning double bass soloist, educator, performer-composer, and collaborator in a variety of genres. I was blessed to receive a tenure-track position at James Madison University at the age of 25 and I have performed in diverse venues across four continents including concerts at New York City's Carnegie Hall as well as in rural Ghanaian villages and medieval German castles. I believe creativity and education form the core of all music making.
Sought-After Educator
Sought-After Educator
Although I hold a master's and doctorate from the Yale School of Music and honors in Music Theory and Cognition from Northwestern Univeristy, I prefer to be called "Sam" in person (or "Dr. Suggs" by email). As an educator, I have been invited to give clinics at institutions such as The Colburn School in Los Angeles, the McDuffie Center for Strings near Atlanta, the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, the New England Conservatory in Boston, and the Mannes School of Music in New York City. During the summer, I teach at the Heifetz Institute in Staunton, VA and at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival in Tennessee and have previously taught at Juilliard's Shanghai Summer String Program in China
Although I hold a master's and doctorate from the Yale School of Music and honors in Music Theory and Cognition from Northwestern Univeristy, I prefer to be called "Sam" in person (or "Dr. Suggs" by email). As an educator, I have been invited to give clinics at institutions such as The Colburn School in Los Angeles, the McDuffie Center for Strings near Atlanta, the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, the New England Conservatory in Boston, and the Mannes School of Music in New York City. During the summer, I teach at the Heifetz Institute in Staunton, VA and at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival in Tennessee and have previously taught at Juilliard's Shanghai Summer String Program in China
Omnivorous Collaborator
Omnivorous Collaborator
I served as principal bass of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago when I was 19 and recently performed with the singular conductorless Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and at Lincoln Center with New York's Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra. In small ensembles, I have toured internationally with my jazz trio Triplepoint and am composer-in-residence and principal bassist of the Frisson Ensemble. I have performed with the premiere young string groups of my generation such as Rolston Quartet and PUBLIQuartet as well as with greats such as cellist Yo Yo Ma, clarinetist David Shifrin, and the Kavafian sisters. In other creative collaborations, I have scored music for film and theater and recorded for video game and film soundtracks.
I served as principal bass of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago when I was 19 and recently performed with the singular conductorless Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and at Lincoln Center with New York's Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra. In small ensembles, I have toured internationally with my jazz trio Triplepoint and am composer-in-residence and principal bassist of the Frisson Ensemble. I have performed with the premiere young string groups of my generation such as Rolston Quartet and PUBLIQuartet as well as with greats such as cellist Yo Yo Ma, clarinetist David Shifrin, and the Kavafian sisters. In other creative collaborations, I have scored music for film and theater and recorded for video game and film soundtracks.
Intrepid Soloist
Intrepid Soloist
As a recitalist, I thread contemporary, jazz, and classical music through improvisation in concerts that have described by The Strad magazine as "brilliant and compelling" and by Oregon Arts Watch as "mind-boggling." I am the first bassist in a generation to win a spot on the Concert Artists Guild management roster and received the Gary Karr Prize for first place at the 2015 International Society of Bassists solo competition, an award for "Extraordinary Creativity" from the Bradetich Foundation, and recognition as "New Artist of the Month" from Musical America magazine.
As a recitalist, I thread contemporary, jazz, and classical music through improvisation in concerts that have described by The Strad magazine as "brilliant and compelling" and by Oregon Arts Watch as "mind-boggling." I am the first bassist in a generation to win a spot on the Concert Artists Guild management roster and received the Gary Karr Prize for first place at the 2015 International Society of Bassists solo competition, an award for "Extraordinary Creativity" from the Bradetich Foundation, and recognition as "New Artist of the Month" from Musical America magazine.
Thoughts aboutStudying Music in the 21st Century
Thoughts aboutStudying Music in the 21st Century
I believe the role of the teacher is to inspire, guide, and focus the energy of the student towards their individual goals as human beings and as artists. The consistent and active 1-on-1 mentorship through music lessons and the personal accountability essential to developing a career in the field of music lead to unmatched life lessons elsewhere within the traditional school or university models; and the supportive and fun community at James Madison University is a wonderful synthesis of the modern liberal arts education with robust student life and a progressive art school with a lively music scene.
I believe the role of the teacher is to inspire, guide, and focus the energy of the student towards their individual goals as human beings and as artists. The consistent and active 1-on-1 mentorship through music lessons and the personal accountability essential to developing a career in the field of music lead to unmatched life lessons elsewhere within the traditional school or university models; and the supportive and fun community at James Madison University is a wonderful synthesis of the modern liberal arts education with robust student life and a progressive art school with a lively music scene.
Teaching Philosophy
Teaching Philosophy
All music making is a form of education - whether music is learned through tradition, taught through a curriculum, or demonstrated to an audience by a musical ambassador.
All music making is a form of education - whether music is learned through tradition, taught through a curriculum, or demonstrated to an audience by a musical ambassador.
In college, I believe in a well-rounded and holistic musical education that integrates entrepreneurship, analysis, score study, improvisation, cognition, and social and historical context into my teaching and playing. Effective technique is a means to communicate composition. I also have a passion for collaborative piano, jazz and continuo-keyboard playing, and I often accompany my students in lessons and recitals, borrowing techniques that I’ve observed in vocal coachings and from theater directors.
In college, I believe in a well-rounded and holistic musical education that integrates entrepreneurship, analysis, score study, improvisation, cognition, and social and historical context into my teaching and playing. Effective technique is a means to communicate composition. I also have a passion for collaborative piano, jazz and continuo-keyboard playing, and I often accompany my students in lessons and recitals, borrowing techniques that I’ve observed in vocal coachings and from theater directors.