Suzanne teng biography

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Suzanne has performed her flute meditations at numerous major events with spiritual leaders and writers such as Thich Nhat Hanh, Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Mathew Whyte, and Amachi, as well as for the top corporate leaders of Mexico and the US. She has also been a featured performer at the National Flute Association Conventions three times.

Appreciated for its sacred, relaxing and heart opening qualities, their works have been used in numerous healing recordings, films and videos, including a special CD compilation of their music created by the pharmaceutical company Genentech that was distributed to over 50,000 cancer patients to aid in their recovery.

She has appeared on national television, including live performances on several of CBS’s Survivor finale shows, which were seen by over 70 million viewers.

  Suzanne is also a renowned flute and world music educator who presents workshops and clinics around the world and has co-facilitated retreats in Hawaii, Bali, and Guatemala.

She has appeared on national television, including a musical performance on the Survivor II final episode which was viewed by over 40 million people.

Select film, television and commercial performance credits include Pepsi, Johnnie Walker, California Tan, Murder, She Wrote, Big Bully (Tom Arnold), Separate Lives (Jim Belushi, Linda Hamilton), Baby (Farrah Fawcett), Green Dragon (Patrick Swayze, Forest Whitaker), The Grey Zone, The Kid Stays in the Picture (Robert Evans), Ice Bound (Susan Sarandon), numerous independent and foreign films, commercials for India, Germany, Korea and Mexico, and an Environmental PSA with music by Hans Zimmer.

Recognized for the healing qualities of their music, the pharmaceutical company Genentech chose them to create a CD that was distributed to over 50,000 patients to aid in their recovery.

Suzanne plays an extensive array of flutes from around the world but considers the alto flute to be her primary voice. Listening to Suzanne’s emotional flute lines , you can feel your heart opening, as one of her passions is to create music that is healing and transportive.

in ethnomusicology at UCLA where her focus was on music and healing. Your inner windshield wipers will have washed off what you don't need. She is an endorsed artist for YAMAHA representing the low flutes on which she is recognized for her beautiful tone and expressive playing. Respected in the field, she was invited to serve on the National Endowment for the Arts Music Education panel for three years.

GILBERT LEVYwas born and raised in New Orleans, He began playing drums at an early age and by his late teens was performing professionally in R&B bands in clubs on Bourbon Street and with jazz greats such as Wynton and Branford Marsalis.  He then moved to Los Angeles in his late 20’s and played pop music in numerous bands and on several major label recording projects.

 His years of experience in pop/rock/jazz/R&B as well as world music give Gilbert the ability to create rhythms that are musical and music that is rhythmic.

He also plays African and Middle Eastern hand percussion as well as a very unique personalized drum set and the evocative Swiss metal hand drum called the “hang” which is featured on much of their music.

 Years ago, after a hand injury led him to take a break from hand drums, he started to explore stringed instruments and their newer albums feature his beautiful performances on the African bass harp (ngoni), the bass dulcimer, the Turkish saz and the Inuk, a unique hybrid guitar, on numerous tracks.

She has performed for numerous heads of state, including Henry Kissinger, and has appeared on the same venues as Sting, Jackson Browne, Patty Smythe, Colin Hay and Jody Watley. Her music has been heard on countless radio programs worldwide (ranking #3 on the New Age charts) and she has been featured on Public Radio International three times.

DANN M.

TORRESis a multi-instrumentalist with an affection for acoustic experimentation and electronic manipulation. Music Connection Magazine wrote that in “Teng’s delightful flute performances…joy emanates from her soul when she plays..”  

  Recognized in the recording industry for her skillful and creative playing, she can be heard on hundreds of recordings on Polygram, Warner Brothers, Windham Hill, BMG, Shanachi, Sounds True, Scottie Brothers and numerous independent labels, commercial soundtracks for Kleenex, Pepsi, Dodge, Johnnie Walker,  video game soundtracks for “Myst” and “Prince of Persia,” film and television soundtracks for Emmy-winning “Tumble Leaf “(PBS), Machu Pichu (Netflix), “Miss Spider,” “Babar and the Adventures of Badou,”  “Boston Legal” and “Murder, She Wrote,” the film “300,” and numerous films and commercials for India, Germany, Korea and Mexico.

She has been teaching since she was 14 years old and has taught at major universities, conservatories and colleges around the country, at music festivals, camps, schools and major music conventions as well as privately.

Suzanne's critically acclaimed recordings Miles Beyond and Mystic Journey feature her original compositions on which she plays a large assortment of flutes from around the world along with her partner Gilbert Levy on world percussion, band mates Fritz Heede on world strings and Barry Newton on string bass, and special guest master musicians from around the world.