Suzanne Galer-Wert

Associate Professor of VoiceB.A., Hope College; M.M., D.M.A., State University of New York at Stony Brook; Additional Studies: Indiana University at Bloomington.A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Suzanne Galer-Wert joined the Palm Beach Atlantic vocal faculty in 2012. Since arriving in Palm Beach, she has performed the Lord Nelson Mass with Dr. Geoffrey Holland at Bethesda by the Sea Chapel, the Fauré Requiem with Dr. Jack Jones at Royal Poinciana Chapel, and the Inter-Church Concert with Stewart Wayne Foster. Dr. Galer-Wert performed Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Robert Sharon Chorale and Indian River Orchestra, Maestro Owen Seward conducting. She will perform with the Choral Society of the Palm Beaches at Florida Atlantic University in 2015 with Mark Aliapoulios conducting. Dr. Galer-Wert joins Palm Beach Opera in its 2014-15 season in La Boheme and La Fille du Regiment as well as a world premiere by Benjamin Moore. She serves as a worship leader at Lost Tree Chapel on Singer Island with Dr. Geoffrey Holland, PBA Director of Choral Activities. A dedicated teacher as well as a performer, Dr. Galer-Wert is president of the Intracoastal Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She is the vice president of the National Federation of Music Clubs in the Palm Beach area. Suzanne teaches students of all ages through the Palm Beach Atlantic University Preparatory Department. She is a member of The New York Singing Teachers Association and has published articles in the NYSTA Journal as well as the NATS Journal. Dr. Galer-Wert is an adjudicator for the Florida Association of Christian Schools and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Her students perform in professional opera companies and theatres, and have been awarded graduate assistantships at conservatories such as Indiana University and the Eastman School of Music.On the conference circuit, Suzanne has performed at the Hawaii International Conference, the College Music Society International Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, and at national NATS conferences in Nashville, Minneapolis, and San Diego. Dr. Galer-Wert made her New York City debuts at Carnegie Recital Hall and Columbia Artists Hall as the first-place winner of the New York Vocal Artists. Her operatic credits include Queen of the Night in Mozart’s Magic Flute with the Rome Festival (Italy), and Dew Fairy in Indianapolis Opera’s Hansel and Gretel. She has also performed with Cincinnati Opera (OH), Il Piccolo Opera (NY), Opera Company of the Hamptons (NY), and the Long Island Lyric Opera (NY). She performed the title role of Orfeo in the world premiere of Luigi Rossi’s Orfeo with the Bloomington Early Music Institute at Indiana University. Dr. Galer-Wert played Naiad in Ariadne auf Naxos with the Shreveport Opera (LA), the Governess in Turn of the Screw with Inspiration Point (AK), and First Friend in Baby Doe with Ars Nova (AL). She was a Metropolitan Opera regional finalist and a Chicago Lyric Opera national finalist. Oratorio credits include Carmina Burana with the Lake Charles Symphony (LA) and King David with the Midland-Odessa Symphony (TX). Diverse in her musical interests, Dr. Galer-Wert helped record early musicals for the Library of Congress with the Comic Opera Guild of Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan. She has played Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz with the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC and with the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, MI. At the Ramsdell, she also played Gladys in Pajama Game and Anna in The King and I. Dr. Galer-Wert sang Madame Von Starr with the Theatre Huntsville (AL) in Musical of Musicals. She has also performed with the Gerard Edery World Music Ensemble of New York City. Dr. Galer-Wert’s college teaching credits include positions at Indiana Wesleyan University, Centenary College, Guilford College, Sam Houston State University, Alabama A&M University, and Oakwood University.In the church music world, Dr. Galer-Wert helped record the original soundtrack of The Glory of Christmas for the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA, and sang professionally for the Marble Collegiate Church in New York City. Suzanne is married to Brian Wert, who works for Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Animal lovers, Suzanne and her husband live in downtown West Palm Beach with their kittens Macavity and Sophie, and are enjoying getting to know the art galleries, the zoo and the beaches