{{Short description|American musician}} {{multiple issues| {{BLP sources|date=October 2010}} {{advert|date=October 2015}} }}

'''Susan L. Nigro''' (born 1951) is an American contrabassoonist. Unlike most players of the instrument, Nigro's career is primarily as a solo recitalist and recording artist rather than an orchestral player.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arts.illinois.gov/artstour-roster/susan-l-nigro|title = Susan L. Nigro &#124; Illinois Arts Council Agency}}</ref>

==Life== Nigro is a native of Chicago. She is an alumna of Northwestern University and Roosevelt University.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |date=2012-02-29 |title=Promusicis: The Sharing of Music |url=https://promusicis.org/promusicis/ARTIST%20ROSTER/By%20Name/Susan%20Nigro/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229221349/https://promusicis.org/promusicis/ARTIST%20ROSTER/By%20Name/Susan%20Nigro/ |archive-date=29 February 2012 |access-date=2023-04-24 }}</ref> Her instructors included Burl Lane and Wilbur Simpson.<ref name="Grove">{{cite book|title=The Grove Dictionary of American Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UQiiDAEACAAJ|date=January 2013|publisher=OUP USA|isbn=978-0-19-531428-1}}</ref> She is a member of several high-IQ societies, including Mensa and Intertel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Contrabassonist Susan Nigro|url=https://franoi.com/profiles/contrabassonist-susan-nigro/|access-date=2021-09-04|website=Fra Noi|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=More About Sue|url=https://www.bigbassoon.com/moreaboutsue.htm|access-date=2021-09-04|website=www.bigbassoon.com}}</ref>

==Career== Her repertoire includes the Gunther Schuller, Frank E. Warren and Daniel Dorff concertos for contrabassoon, as well as the Stamitz and Mozart concertos originally written for the bassoon. Nigro has premiered over 30 works since 1988, most of which were commissioned by her.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Contrabassoon w/piano {{!}} Jeanne, Inc. | url=http://www.jeanne-inc.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=SBP-B | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920072040/http://www.jeanne-inc.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=SBP-B | access-date=2025-05-25 | archive-date=2015-09-20}}</ref> She has given more premieres than any other contra bassoonist.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

She has appeared as a soloist with such groups as the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Rome Festival Orchestra, and the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg, as well as at multiple International Double Reed Society conferences. She has also performed as a recitalist and given masterclasses at dozens of universities and music festivals{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}.

In addition to her recording and recital careers, Nigro was the full-time substitute for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra during the 2005–2006 season and again during the 2008-2010 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=More About Sue |url=https://www.bigbassoon.com/moreaboutsue.htm |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.bigbassoon.com}}</ref> She was also a guest artist with the Northwest Symphony.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northwestsymphony.org/guest_artists0203.html |title=:: Guest Artists 02-03 :: |access-date=2010-10-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719134726/http://www.northwestsymphony.org/guest_artists0203.html |archive-date=2011-07-19 }}</ref> She was among the founders of the Chicago Bassoon Quartet and the contrabassoon duo The Two Contras.<ref name="Grove"/>

She won a Pro Musicis International Career Development Grant,<ref name="auto"/> and Illinois Arts Council grant.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

==Recordings== *''The Big Bassoon'' *''Little Tunes for the Big Bassoon'' *''The 2 Contras'', with Burl Lane *''The Bass Nightingale'', GM 2069<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-07-11 |title=GM 2069 - Susan Nigro: THE BASS NIGHTINGALE |url=https://gmrecordings.com/gm2069.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711102432/https://gmrecordings.com/gm2069.htm |archive-date=11 July 2011 |access-date=2023-04-24 }}</ref> *''New Tunes for the Big Bassoon'' *''Bellissima: Italian Tunes for the Big Bassoon''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/7033222/a/Bellissima:+Italian+Tunes+For+The+Big+Bassoon.htm |title=We're Sorry... |publisher=Cduniverse.com |date= |accessdate=2023-01-07}}</ref> *''Original Tunes for the Big Bassoon''<ref>{{Cite web | title=Crystal Records Susan Nigro Contrabassoon recordings | url=http://www.crystalrecords.com/susannigro.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822224354/http://www.crystalrecords.com/susannigro.html | access-date=2025-05-25 | archive-date=2007-08-22}}</ref> *''Scott Joplin Rags for the Big Bassoon''<ref>{{Cite web | title=Crystal Records Susan Nigro Contrabassoon recordings | url=https://www.crystalrecords.com/susannigro.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822224354/http://www.crystalrecords.com/susannigro.html | access-date=2025-05-25 | archive-date=2007-08-22}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.bigbassoon.com/ Susan Nigro's website] *[http://www.bruceduffie.com/nigro4.html Susan Nigro interview] by Bruce Duffie

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Category:Living people Category:1951 births Category:Musicians from Chicago Category:American classical bassoonists

{{US-woodwind-musician-stub}} Category:Mensans