Biography

"As a radio host and as a singer, Suzanne Nance's vibrancy and commitment attract audiences." - Portland Press Herald

Suzanne Nance is currently the Executive Director of Wexford Festival Trust in Ireland, joining the company 1 January 2026, at the start of Wexford Festival Opera's 75th anniversary year.

Previously, Nance served as the President and CEO All Classical Radio. Under her leadership, All Classical Radio became one of the top classical music radio stations in the USA. Suzanne led a successful capital campaign to build a new media arts center in downtown Portland, Oregon (which opened in October 2024). The organization also expanded its operating budget by 57% and dramatically increased net revenue and reserve funds.

During that time, All Classical also received the largest grant in its 40-year history, rebranded, published its first book (the Artist Anthology), and launched a new 24-hr radio station for children: the International Children’s Arts Network.

Proclaimed the “Queen of Classical” by Maine's Portland Press Herald, and a "favorite artist" by Portland's Artslandia Magazine, Suzanne Nance is an award-winning broadcaster, soprano, actor and arts ambassador who has produced and hosted dozens of radio and TV programs and documentaries. Prior to joining All Classical Portland (Oregon) in 2015, Nance was a producer and host at WFMT Chicago and the voice of Lyric Opera of Chicago's internationally syndicated radio broadcast series. Nance was also the host of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra radio series (nationally syndicated) and producer and host of Salt Bay Chamberfest, Grant Park Music Festival, and Bravo! Vail radio series.

Suzanne has been praised for her interviews with artists such as soprano Renée Fleming, Sting, violinists Joshua Bell and Hilary Hahn, mandolinist Chris Thile, actress/comedian Jane Lynch, pianist Yefim Bronfman and maestro Sir Andrew Davis. Nance was named one of Portland's best radio personalities in the Willamette Week's 2017 "best of" Survey and has been praised as the creator and former host of Sunday Brunch on All Classical Radio.

Suzanne Nance has also worked at WHYY in Philadelphia and Aspen Public Radio in Colorado. She was the Director of Cultural Content and on-air morning host for Maine Public Broadcasting Network (Radio, TV and Web). During her tenure with MPBN (now Maine Public) 2007-2014, she created, produced and hosted the Emmy-award winning series MaineArts! and the popular audio diary series titled Music that Moves ME. She has also been praised for her work on a series of TV documentaries including programs about Parkinson’s disease (featuring Michael J. Fox) and Alzheimer’s disease. 

Suzanne is a frequent guest lecturer and writer about music and an active global arts ambassador. She speaks internationally about the power of music, the benefits of arts education, using the arts to promote emotional literacy, and the importance of supporting the cultural and creative tourism economies.