Pianist Susan Manoff was born in New York. She studied at the Manhattan School of Music and at the University of Oregon. Intensive studies with Gwendolyn Koldofsky in the art song repertoire led her to become one of the most sought-after pianists of her generation. In addition to her interest in the vocal repertoire, Susan Manoff is a passionate advocate of chamber music and the creation of original programs blending music and text. She performs regularly at major international festivals and concert halls around the world.
Susan Manoff has recorded for the labels Alpha Classics, Sony, Naïve, Decca, Virgin, Arion, Valois, Aparte. In 2007 she recorded her first CD with Sandrine Piau, entitled ‘Evocation’, and a second recording, ‘Après un Rêve’, was released in March 2011 (Naïve.) Her recording with long term musical partner Nemanja Radulovic is dedicated to the violin and piano sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven (Decca, 2010). The album, ‘La Belle Excentrique’, with soprano Patricia Petibon, was released in autumn of 2014 (Deutsche Grammophon). Other recent recordings include ‘Néère’ (winner of the prestigious Gramophone Award 2016) with partner Véronique Gens (Alpha Classics) , ‘Chimère’ (Diapason D’Or and Choc Classica 2018) with partner Sandrine Piau (Alpha Classics 2018), ‘Long Time Ago’ (Alpha Classics 2019) with Adèle Charvet, and ‘L’Amour, La Mort, La Mer’ (Sony 2020) with Patricia Petibon. A new album, ‘M’a dit Amour’, with soprano Julie Roset will be released by Alpha in September 2025.
Susan Manoff was assistant chorus director at the Bastille Opera and is presently a professor at the Conservatoire National de Musique et de Danse de Paris. She teaches masterclasses around the world. In 2011, she was named Chevalier des Arts et Des Lettres by the Cultural Ministry of France.