Susan Aquila

New York City artist Susan Aquila is shaking up the world of Rock. She is the first electric violinist/singer to break through to the mainstream rock market in a big way. Her music blends metal, rock and punk and her incendiary electric violin solos are being heralded as: “... the hottest thing to hit rock since Van Halen recorded Eruption! She’s like the Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin and her vocal style is vibrant and dripping with soul. She combines the artistry of Blondie with the raw power of Janis!!”*

Susan Aquila has spent the past 20 years bridging the gap between her successful rock and classical careers. Trained at Juilliard and Rice University, Susan has traveled extensively throughout the world performing in France, Germany, Spain, Russia, Korea and Japan.

An internationally acclaimed, Grammy-nominated artist, she has appeared in concert and on recordings with artists such as Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, Kanye West, Steven Tyler, Robert Plant, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Tony Bennett, Andrea Bocelli, K.D. Lang, Josh Groban, Barry Manilow, Michael Buble, Deep Purple, The Left Banke, Johnny Mathis, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Donna Summer, Whitney Houston, Willie Nelson to name a few. Actually that's a lot.

She has also appeared on Good Morning America and Regis and Kelly with Josh Groban, as well as Late Night with David Letterman with Train. Yet with all of her success, you will still find Susan at 9pm on a Monday night playing at The Bitter End in NYC with indie-rock singer/songwriter Shannon Corey. Most recently, she was featured on America's Got Talent at Radio City Music Hall, shining, especially, in the season finale with Heather Headley and Il Divo.

Susan's Broadway credits include Wicked, The Lion King, Annie Get Your Gun, Amazing Grace and Rockers on Broadway, and she is a featured artist on CDs and film scores for Columbia Records, A&M Records, Sony Records, and Silvercup Studios.

Now, Susan has stepped out on her own with her first two CDs, Broken Angel and Miss Conduct, which have created a stir in both pop and classical circles. At home in both styles, this incendiary artist has proven herself to be a seminal figure on her Viper six string electric violin.

Classical credits include solo and chamber recitals at The White House for Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, Weill Hall-NYC and Merkin Hall-NYC. She has also appeared with The Eglevsky Ballet, Harrisburg Symphony, Springfield Symphony and the Janesville/Beloit Symphony Orchestra.

An accomplished dancer and vocalist, she impressed with her appearance in the Broadway-style revue, The Rock Tenor, at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia. Susan also was recently featured as a violinist and dancer in the Italian shows, Mediterranean Voices and Spider Dance, with a special dance choreographed for her by the prestigious Caterina Ogar Dance Company. 
 ​

In addition to maintaining a demanding performance schedule, Susan is a passionate music educator committed to mentoring the next generation of influential musicians. She regularly shares her technical expertise and performance experience with private students and school groups in the New York metropolitan area, and has prepared young artists for countless music recitals, auditions, concerts and NYSSMA assessments.