Susie Benchasil Seiter

February 3, 2020 At long last I had a chance to chat with Susie Benchasil Seiter! We've been trying to schedule this interview since late 2018 and I'm thrilled that it finally worked out. The scheduling difficulties can be attributed to the fact that Susie is one of the hardest working musicians in show biz! She's a conductor, orchestrator and mom of two beautiful baby boys. I had the opportunity to work with Susie a few times during the Evanescence/Lindsey Stirling world tour in 2018, and I've been a fan ever since. In the interview we discuss how she got the gig with Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling, her philosophy of conductors and conducting, where she first learned to conduct, the unexpected and lasting influence of a college chemistry teacher, the impact that famed Hollywood composer, Alan Menken had on her career choice, and the challenges of a being a female conductor in a male dominated profession. Susie Benchasil Seiter is a prolific conductor and orchestrator for film, television, video games, and live concerts. She recently completed a worldwide orchestra tour as conductor and music director for multiple Grammy-winning Evanescence and Billboard Music Award winner and YouTube sensation, Lindsey Stirling. She's conducted orchestras all over the world, including including the Royal Philharmonic at London’s Apollo Hammersmith, The Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Madison Square Garden, the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap, and the Sydney Symphony at the iconic Sydney Opera House. Susie Seiter believes that orchestral music should be shared and celebrated by all generations, and she takes great pride in her contributions as a conductor and orchestrator. Originally from Baltimore, Seiter now calls Los Angeles home, where she lives with Chad and their sons.