Susan Peak Sharing Joy Through Music

I am a singer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist, and ukulele player who lives in Durham, Connecticut. After attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, I spent several years playing in bands, duos, and orchestras of musicals. Following a break from professional music to work in the medical field (Occupational Therapy), I have returned to my first love, music, as a performer and as a teacher of guitar, bass guitar, and ukulele in Durham since 2008.
I have performed locally in duos and bands, and, more recently, as a solo performer, having discovered a love of writing and playing music for people of all ages. I am currently performing in Connecticut and Florida. I thoroughly enjoy playing music in a variety of settings and have played at weddings (ceremonies, cocktail hours, first dance), corporate galas, yacht clubs, country clubs, private parties, fundraisers, fairs and festivals, at club meetings, and in assisted living and Over 55 communities and senior centers. Whether you need music to be in the background (“ambience”) or to be the main event, I will adapt my set list to meet your needs. I also do "strolling music" and use a little portable speaker to project the sound- it works great in nursing facilities (room to room music for the infirm) and at Farmer's Markets!
As a songwriter, I write songs in all genres and even for specific audiences, including Seniors ("I Found the Vim But I Lost the Vigor", a funny tribute to aging), children ("Waddle Like a Duck" gets 'em going!) and even for weddings (I wrote how a couple met into a song for their first dance!). I have been told that my melodies often "get stuck in my head" so jingles are definitely in my wheelhouse!
For children, I put on rousing, interactive shows in a variety of settings including libraries, town concert series, small concert venues, at parties and fundraisers, and at schools, fairs and festivals. In my family shows, I perform original songs along with some old favorites and will regale you with tales of sprites, trolls, and leprechauns, as well as ladybugs, snakes, and a cat named “Snookums”. It helps if the kids attend my shows ready to dance, sing, clap, play the maracas, and even bark!
Besides music, I thoroughly enjoy going to the beach and being out in nature. I enjoy sailing with friends, snowshoeing, walks with my cat (yes, my cat insists on taking walks with me which I love), and traveling to Florida and other places to see family and see the world. I love connecting with people in all ways but especially through playing music!

It's always great to play a venue with its own sound system but I do have my own:
1. A PA system for larger shows and shows where I use my drum machine
2. A smaller set-up for small to medium size rooms
3. A portable speaker to amplify vocals that I wear on a belt for very small groups and 'strolling' music
Whatever your needs I got you covered!