Susanne Wurmnest holds a Bachelor of Music from Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London. She completed postgraduate studies in music journalism at the University of Karlsruhe, Germany. She was also a guest reader in the master program of musicology and music technology there.
During her postgraduate studies, Susanne developed a keen interest in contemporary electronic and electro-acoustic music, which drew her to work at the ZKM, Centre for Arts and Media Karlsruhe. For the next four years, she managed and conceptualised a great number of international concerts, festivals and symposia featuring renowned figures and ensembles in contemporary music such as Miguel Azguime, Ludger Brümmer, Francis Dhomont, Michael Edwards, Gilles Gobeil, Mauricio Kagel, Garth Knox, Benjamin Kobler, Helmut Lachenmann, Philippe Manoury, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Catherine Vickers as well as the Aleph Gitarrenquartett, Ensemble ascolta, Ensemble Modern, ensemble recherche and musikFabrik NRW, among many others.
She subsequently joined Republic Polytechnic, School of Technology for the Arts, as a Senior Academic Staff. During her teaching stint, she developed and delivered curriculum in the diverse field of music theory, music composition, synthesis and improvisation. She also discovered Dalcroze Eurythmics and is keen on pursuing further training in this powerful teaching method.
Susanne continues to perform on the viola and is particularly dedicated to contemporary music practices, both with and without the use of electronics, extended techniques and improvisation. She also composes electro-acoustic music and enjoys being active in the local contemporary music scene. Nevertheless, she keeps in touch with her home (German) scene by curating and producing radio programs on electro-acoustic music for the web radio of the German Association for Electro-Acoustic Music. In her free time, she enjoys learning Hung Gar Kung Fu.