studio agreement & classroom highlights
“...Both through the poll and in discussion, students expressed that their experience has been “transformative.” One student brought up the live performance in the theater and how that was his first time performing on a stage. All of the students discussed how they appreciated working together and collaborating.
The overall environment of the class is informal and fun, while also being challenging, in terms of choral skill. The workshop structure of the class made it highly engaging and interactive. This class is an excellent example of student-centered and project-based learning, where students and their ability to sing together is the driving force of the class. I also observed that Prof. Sussman includes a diversity of songs from around the world for the choir to sing, which is an excellent way to de-center Whiteness and Euro-centric curriculum. Prof Sussman takes an innovative approach to choral instruction and makes a great contribution to the Music department.”
studio agreement
classroom highlights
CHORUS - DIREctor (Cuyamaca College, 2021-present)
CUYAMACA COLLEGE CHOIR CULTURE
I am committed to providing a safe space for everyone to pursue musical fulfillment. Here at Cuyamaca College Choir, discriminatory words and actions will not be tolerated. I acknowledge that choral ensembles, historically, have often fed into systemic practices of exclusion, be it through their proclaimed ideals around vocal tone, their rigid definitions of musical literacy, or their perpetual support of demographically similar artists. On an interpersonal level, harm can often occur by way of critique, especially when provided in just one direction, from director to performer.
In my role as choral leader, I aim to reform these practices. This choir is not my choir, but our choir. I view my role as supportive—I am here to cultivate each person’s development, including my own, by way of collective music-making. Please share what is working for you, and what is not, with me often.
Additionally, a few *best practices* will ensure our success as an ensemble-
● Please Practice Patience and Empathy With One Another: Each singer here has a unique lived experience, and may not share your same training or background in choral singing. Not only is this okay, it’s an exciting opportunity to learn from someone else’s perspective. Acknowledge the beauty in each other’s crafts, and lead with curiosity.
● Respect Each Other’s Time / Give It Your All: We will begin each rehearsal promptly. Please make every effort to arrive with enough time to settle mentally and physically, ensuring you are ready to make music at 6:30pm. [If this is not possible for you, please be sure to speak with Professor Sussman about your situation ahead of time.] During rehearsals, do your best to be present; our time together is very precious. Let’s make the most out of it!
● YOU Are Responsible For Your Music-Making: Choir is a place to explore and expand your boundaries, take risks in a safe and low-stakes environment, and develop your musical gifts. Go there! This is YOUR choir, YOUR time to sine- I am only here to provide the space for your creativity. Whatever your goals are, challenge yourself to achieve them. And, please, be kind to yourself; you know best when you can give it your all and when you may need to rest and recuperate.
CLASS VOICE - Instructor (Cuyamaca College, 2023-present)
Concert Choir - Instructor (UC San Diego, 2021)
“It seems impossible to have a fun concert class in a virtual setting, right? Not so fast, here comes Jasper Sussman, to show that it can be done!!
I’m getting excited writing about the instructor, but in all seriousness, this class, largely thanks to Jasper, was amazing. Instead of trying to do the closest thing possible to an in-person concert choir online, Jasper Sussman took the class in a totally different direction, coming up with creative assignments that taught us basic music production, that encouraged us to try composing, and the let us be super creative, inventive, and exploratory with creating our own music. To me, concert choir was more than a 2 unit class, it was a creative community, and that collaborative environment was fostered by Jasper.
Another quick note: Jasper was super accessible outside of class. She had long office hours on Fridays, and we could come to just hang out, or to work on our singing, or to work on our compositions, or to run ideas past her. She also would constantly be helping us with our projects late on weeknights, and random times throughout the day, clearly going way above and beyond whatever the required teaching duties are. It felt like she really cared about us all and put her all into the class.”
singing through life - instructor (UC San Diego, 2021)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Song and dance have been essential to the fabric of human societies since our very beginnings. We sing to celebrate unions, accomplishments, and times of year; mothers rock and coo their babies to sleep, and children learn their "ABCs" to the captivating sounds of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and its companions across the globe. In this course, students are provided with an opportunity to consider the role that singing plays in their lives, both personally and interpersonally. How does vocal activity contribute to productive social subsistence, preservation, and change? What is the impact of singing, both in groups and individually, on aspects of health, identity formation, and one's sense of self-efficacy? By engaging in diverse vocal performance and observation practices, students will grapple with these central questions. Course activities are focused around real-world applications and reflections as opposed to purely theoretical learning modalities. Practicum elements will include singing with and for others, conducting ethnographic fieldwork (such as conducting interviews and logging experiences), and sharing personal findings with members of the greater community. No prior musical or vocal experience is necessary for success in this course—bring your voice, just the way it is!