Music for the Heartland

The Newark-Granville Youth Orchestras

The Newark-Granville Youth Symphony was formed in 2005 and is in its 15th season under Music Director Susan Larson. The NGYS brings together gifted young musicians from throughout east central Ohio and provides them an opportunity to study and perform a broad range of orchestral repertoire in a supportive collegial environment. They perform as both a string orchestra and full symphony. The NGYS is committed in helping students develop their musical skills to their fullest potential, strengthening our region’s existing school music programs, and inspiring cultural awareness and appreciation of music in our community.

Susan Larson, NGSO Executive Director and Youth Orchestra Music Director

Susan Larson is the founder and Artistic Director of the Newark-Granville Youth Symphony. She is the former Director of Orchestras for the Newark City Schools, in Newark, Ohio. The Newark High School Sinfonia was awarded first runner up for the National Orchestra Cup at Lincoln Center in 2009. This honor earned her orchestra a front-page story in the New York Times and an invitation to the White House. The Newark-Granville Youth Symphony was chosen to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), in 2011, and for the Ohio Music Educators Association Convention in 2009 and 2015. Susan previously taught 15 years as Director of Orchestras for the Bexley City School District. During her tenure at Bexley, her orchestras won national and international recognition. The Bexley Elementary Honors Orchestra and Middle School Orchestras were chosen to perform for the Ohio Music Educators Association Convention in 1994 and 1998.

Susan is currently a violin, viola, and chamber music instructor for the Denison University Suzuki Program. Susan is an active conductor and clinician for school ensembles, regional orchestras, and honors orchestras throughout the Midwest. She has conducted the Women in Music Symphony Orchestra and String Sinfonia of Columbus and has also served as conductor and music director for Otterbein College productions.

As a professional violinist, Susan has performed with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Ohio Light Opera, Westerville Civic Symphony, the Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra, the Blossom Music Festival and the Si Yo Chamber Music Society. She has also performed on stage with such artists as Barry Manilow, Barry White, the Electric Light Orchestra, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Moody Blues, and Gene Bertoncini. She is currently a violinist with the Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra.

Susan earned her BS in music education and violin performance at Kent State University, with violin studies under Ma Si-Hon and Stephanie Sant’ Ambrosio. Her graduate work has been at The Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin, with conducting studies under Marvin Rabin and Norman Leyden.

Susan received the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Music Educator of the Year Award for 2020. She is a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow and was awarded the Newark Rotary Service Above Self Award, in 2014.

She is married to Peter, a professional pianist and owner of Klarity Medical Products. They have two daughters, Eliza, a professional modern dancer who resides in Portland, Oregon, and Amelia, who recently graduated from the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, with her bachelor’s degree in modern dance and ballet.

Jordan Koogler, Chamber Strings Music Director

Jordan Koogler is an Orchestra Director in the Pickerington Local School District. He is responsible for the administration and instruction of orchestra in grades 6-12 on the north side of the district. Mr. Koogler was previously the orchestra director for Ashland City Schools where he taught 4th-12th grade orchestras for 6 years. In 2014, Mr. Koogler was selected as the Co-Winner of the Ohio String Teacher’s Association Young Teacher of the Year award at the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) State Conference. Mr. Koogler’s top school orchestra was selected via blind audition to record and submit a performance for the OMEA 2021 Virtual State Professional Development Conference. Mr. Koogler holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Otterbein University & Master of Arts in Music Education from The Ohio State University. When not teaching, Mr. Koogler enjoys playing violin in the Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra, giving private violin lessons, doing and coaching CrossFit and spending time with his wife and three children, Madalynn, Lyla, and Harrison.