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Armenio Suzano
Associate Professor of Music, woodwinds

Dr. Armenio Suzano was born in Brazil and at the

age of 16 won a competition to become the youngest member ever of the renowned Rio de Janeiro Opera House Symphony Orchestra (Orquestra do Teatro Municipal). He served as their Assistant Principal Clarinetist for 9 years. Upon moving to the United States, Suzano engaged in multicultural ministry – particularly within Portuguese-speaking communities in Massachusetts and Spanish-speaking communities in Texas.

Dr. Suzano’s accomplishments include the Outstanding Music Graduate Award as well as the President’s Award for Outstanding Performer of the Year (1997) from Stephen F. Austin State University (TX) and the 1st prize at the Sul-America International Competition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An avid soccer player and accomplished clarinetist and saxophonist, Suzano

has performed with the Northwestern University and The University of Michigan Symphony Orchestras, South Bend Symphony (IL) and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (MI). In 1983-84 he was the guest soloist with the Amazonas Brasilienischemusik Jazz Ensemble in Berlin, Germany.

In 1997 Armenio Suzano won the Solo and Aria Competition at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) and in 1998 he won the Concerto Competition at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI), where he was also a Humanities Fellow between 1998 and 2000. He holds degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University (B.M./1997), Northwestern University (M.M./1998) and The University of Michigan (D.M.A./2002). Dr. Suzano studied under professors Russell Dagon and Frederick Hemke (Northwestern University) as well as Fred Ormand and Donald Sinta (The University of Michigan).

Armenio Suzano has conducted Honors Bands throughout Georgia and the United States, where he is also an active concert clinician and adjudicator. He has often served as guest conductor for bands in Georgia. He remains current in the public school classroom through regular visits to area band classes, from beginners through high school. Before joining the faculty at Brewton-Parker, Suzano served as Professor of Church Music at Indiana Wesleyan University and as Graduate Instructor at the University of Michigan.