Sutu Forté was raised in the San Francisco
Bay area and started playing the piano at
age three relying on innate ear and com-
position talent only. It was at age seven and
a half that she started her formal piano
studies.
She was awarded a scholarship to
Stephens College where she a earned her
B.F.A. in 1974. Winning First Prize in the
Midwest Concerto Competition allowed her
to perform the ‘Emperor Concerto' With the
Saint Louis Symphony conducted by
Leonard Slatkin.
After graduating from Stephens, she
attended Juilliard and received her Master's
degree. She debuted at Carnegie Recital
Hall in 1980, and continued to perform in
New York for five more years. She returned
to her native San Francisco in 1985 and
continued to perform there until returning
to Columbia in 1994.
Now she teaches privately and is a
founding member of the Columbia Jazreplab
(Jazz Repertory Laboratory), encouraging
musicians of all ages and levels of
experience to play jazz standards in a
relaxed ensemble environment.
