Village Voices Music Director 2022

Susan passed peacefully at home surrounded by family on October 11, 2022 from pancreatic cancer. Born and raised in Sunnyvale, CA, Susan graduated from Fremont High School in 1967 before attending San Jose State University, where she received her bachelor of arts in music and master’s in voice. Susan moved to Germany in 1976 to continue training at the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts and performing at the Opera Stuttgart and other venues. She lived in Germany for 34 years returning to the United States in 2010. An accomplished singer and teacher, Susan most recently was Director of the Village Voices choir and the Director of the Villages Community Chapel choir. Susan is remembered fondly by her extensive network of friends and students from around the world. We will all miss Susan’s enthusiasm and charm, no matter the occasion.

Ken Carter has been instrumental in the promotion of music in the Villages. Through his contacts in the music industry, he brought many outside music groups to perform in The Villages.

Ken Carter, a professional bass, began his diverse musical career at the age of eighteen with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra as bass soloist in Beethoven's Christ on the Mount of Olives. 

After receiving a Bachelor of Music degree from Memphis State University (now University of Memphis) in choral conducting, he became soloist for the United States Air Force Band, Symphony and Singing Sergeants. His first official job was in the White House singing for President and Mrs. Kennedy. He also sang for five other presidents. During this period he studied across from Carnegie Hall in New York with Samuel Margolis and in Washington DC with Todd Duncan, Gershwin's original "Porgy."

After the Air Force years in he used his singing skills in more than 60 leading operatic roles with some of America's best known singers and opera companies including Connecticut Opera, New Orleans Opera, Mississippi Opera, Opera Memphis and others.