Sisters in Sync: 3-2-1 with Candice Susnjar

3 Questions - 2 Insights - 1 unique photo with remarkable women musicians

In this inspiring Sisters in Sync feature, we connect with Candice Susnjar, a gifted composer and musician whose work resonates with raw emotion and authenticity. Candice shares her recent musical inspirations, including the works of Caroline Shaw, and her passion for unsung female talents like jazz trumpeter Jessica Carlton. Throughout our conversation, Candice reflects on the importance of female voices in music, the value of mentorship, and the advice she wishes she'd had earlier in her career. Her insights provide a powerful glimpse into the experiences of women in the industry, making this a must-read for aspiring musicians and music enthusiasts alike.

What's a recent discovery you've made in music composed or performed by women?

Caroline Shaw’s album Orange has been a beautiful discovery. Her style of composition resonates with me on a deep level and I love her sense of harmony and the textural elements she embraces in her pieces. It reminds me to push myself out of my comfort zone and explore the instruments I am writing for and venture beyond the sounds I am used to hearing and creating.

Who is a lesser-known female musician or composer you believe deserves more recognition and why?

Jessica Carlton is a wonderful jazz trumpet player and composer who plays and composes with such honesty, integrity and beauty. Her music is so authentic and it’s all about the emotion and conveying a message using music. It’s what I aim to do in my own musical expressions.

In what ways do you believe female musicians can drive positive change within the music industry?

Women who show up and live the musical lives they want to live despite the statistics and inherent challenges of being a woman in the music industry are bringing a positive change to the music industry whether they see it or not. The more we show up and put ourselves out there, the more the younger generations will see that this is something they can do too. It just hasn’t been seen enough especially in jazz and classical music.

What piece of advice specifically tailored for women starting in the music industry do you wish you had received?

Just do your thing. Express yourself authentically and with confidence. You may not feel confident but do it anyway. You have something to say that no-one else has ever said and there are people in the world that want to hear it.

How has mentorship, especially from other women, played a role in your career, and what value do you think it brings to emerging female artists?

Encouragement and mentorship from my mentor Bourby Webster has played a significant role in my career. This incredible woman started an orchestra! Her tenacity and courage has been a reminder that we can do anything we set our minds to. Anything is possible. That’s what I would want to tell emerging female artists. Your dreams and goals are possible. Bourby helped me to see that and create a path that continues to lead me closer to these dreams day by day.