Susan McDuffie honored for arts support at Grand Opera House Friday night

The third annual Robert McDuffie Center for Strings Award will be presented to pianist Susan McDuffie on Friday.

The award is given to a person who has shown a strong dedication to and support for the arts -- and the community.

McDuffie is a graduate of Wesleyan College, where she majored in piano performance and minored in organ. She performs as a piano and organ soloist and collaborates with instrumentalists, vocalists and other pianists, including her son, violinist Robert McDuffie, and daughter, concert pianist Margery McDuffie Whatley.

She is the former organist and director of music ministries at First Presbyterian Church and Vineville Presbyterian Church, and she recently served an 11-month interim as organist/choirmaster at Christ Episcopal Church. She substitutes as guest organist at various churches in the area.

She is a former president of the Macon Symphony Orchestra and has performed as a soloist and keyboardist with the MSO.

McDuffie is a former accompanist for the Macon Civic Chorale and the Middle Georgia Choral Society.

She is a recipient of a 1998 Cultural Award given by the Macon Arts Alliance for outstanding contributions to the arts scene in Middle Georgia. She was also awarded the Wesleyan Alumnae Award for Distinguished Service to the Community.

She and her husband, Bill, are parents of four children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Director Amy Schwartz Moretti and Mercer University Orchestra conductor Ward Stare will present the award to McDuffie before a concert by the orchestra Friday night.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at The Grand Opera House. Admission is $10. For tickets, visit thegrandmacon.com.

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Susan McDuffie honored for arts support at Grand Opera House Friday night ."