Sound Painting and Other Ways of Hearing
Columbia University’s evolving musicianship curriculum prioritizes musical experience over traditional literacy, using inclusive techniques inspired by blind and deaf communities—such as sound painting, personalized identity melodies, and movement-based instruction. In this episode, Professor Peter Susser explores how these methods challenge conventional ideas about ability and learning, offering a broader vision for music education. He also reflects on cultural contrasts in accessibility between France and the U.S., and his own deep-rooted family connection to music.
Atelier is produced by the Columbia Global Paris Center, a Columbia University initiative housed at Reid Hall.
Peter Susser, who joined the Department of Music as Director of Undergraduate Musicianship in 2011, has a long association with Columbia, where he earned his DMA and where he has taught as an adjunct instructor for many years. As a composer and producer, Dr. Susser has been commissioned by a variety of orchestras, ensembles and soloists including the Queen’s Chamber Band, the Sage City and New Amsterdam Symphonies, and Speculum Musicae. He is on the faculties of Columbia University and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). In 1990, Dr. Susser was a resident of the MacDowell Colony. He received his Doctorate in Music in composition from Columbia University and holds a Master’s Degree in cello performance from the Manhattan School of Music, where he won the Pablo Casals Prize and the Ravel Competition. His music is available on Albany and Capstone Records.
