Dr. Armenio Suzano, Professor of Music and Director of Music at ORU,was born in Brazil and at the age of 15 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 and Spanish-speaking communities in Massachusetts and in Texas, respectively.
Dr. Suzano’s accomplishments include the Outstanding Music Graduate Award as well as the President’s Award for Outstanding Performer of the Year 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), Kalamazoo Symphony (MI), East Texas Symphony, and Southern Tier Symphony Orchestra (NY). Dr. Suzano’s solo international performances include the Amazonas Brasilienischemusik Jazz Ensemble in Berlin, Germany, the National Symphony Orchestra (Brazil), the GMP Jazz Ensemble in Volgograd, Russia, and the Brasília School of Music Wind Ensemble in Brasília, Brazil. Recent performances include the Frank Ticheli Clarinet Concerto with the Stephen F. Austin State University Wind Ensemble, under the direction of composer Frank Ticheli, Rossini’s Introduction, Theme and Variations with the Houghton University Wind Ensemble, and Brazilian Music concerts at colleges and churches with the MPB4 Brazilian Music Ensemble, a group co-founded by Dr. Suzano.
Dr. Armenio Suzano is the winner the Solo and Aria Competition at Northwestern University and the winner of the Concerto Competition at the University of Michigan, where he was also a Humanities Fellow. He holds degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University (B.M.), Northwestern University (M.M.) and The University of Michigan (D.M.A.).
Before joining the Music faculty at Oral Roberts University, Dr. Suzano served as Associate Professor and Dean of the Greatbatch School of Music (Houghton, NY), Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Liberty University Symphony Orchestra (Lynchburg, VA), and Director of Bands at Brewton-Parker College (Mt. Vernon, GA), as well as Pastor of Worship at the Hamburg Wesleyan Church (Hamburg, NY). Dr. Suzano is married to Kelly VanKirk Suzano and together they have two daughters, Audrey Elizabeth (Cuca) and Ava Gabriela (Gabby). They enjoy being guest worship leaders at area churches, watching historical documentaries, reading books, swimming, biking, and hiking.