Susan MacLean

Susan MacLean has been part of the Baddeck Gathering Ceilidh's house band for several seasons. Along with this regular gig, she maintains a busy schedule accompanying the best of Cape Breton fiddlers at concerts and ceilidhs and has taught Cape Breton style piano accompaniment for many years at the Saint Ann's Gaelic College. Susan also plays the fiddle and writes music. Her tune "Grandma Rose” is featured on the Baddeck Gathering Ceilidh cd  She is a long-time member of the Cape Breton Fiddler’s Association ( www.capebretonfiddlers.com ) and will be travelling to Scotland this summer with the Association for their 35^th Anniversary tour.  Susan has recently been recorded on Andrew McFayden’s latest CD Open Eyes, Open Mind and will be touring with him around the Maritimes in July 2008 along with Dara Smith. (www.grianmcbuttons.ca)

Susan's enthusiasm for Cape Breton style piano led her to pick out some chords herself and to ask, to watch and to listen to the best performers, including many in her own very musical family. She credits much of her success to the encouragement of her late grandfather, Michael Anthony MacLean, who was a well known fiddle player.

Susan has a Masters Degree in Deaf Education and is employed full time with the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority as a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. ( www.apsea.ca )