Piano
Clara Haslop – pianist, composer and writer – started her piano studies at the age of 10. She is a prizewinner of the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition and the International Youth Piano Competition and made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2018 as a top-prize winner of the AFAF International Concerto Competition where she was invited to perform the Grieg piano concerto with the Kostroma Symphony in Russia. Clara has performed under noted conductors Uri Segal, Gaddiel Dombrowner and John Roscigno with the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic, L.A. Doctors Symphony and Virtuosi Brunensis Virtuosi Orchestra in Italy.
Clara performed in recital as a “Rising Star” at the Ventura Music Festival and as a “Young Professional on Stage” at the University of Southern California. Other major venues include the Liszt Schloss Akademie in Germany, Disney Hall, Carnegie Hall, Zipper Hall, Cypress Hall, Sala dei Notari in Perugia Italy, Steinway Halls in Pasadena and Beverly Hills, the Philadelphia Academy of Vocal Arts and the Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center.
In early 2020 Clara had the honor of having a private lesson with Emanuel Ax at Disney Hall. That same year she was invited by Steinway & Sons to be their young showcase artist on the first Steinway Virtual Masterclass with Christopher O’Riley. Masterclasses with Gary Graffman, Simone Dinnerstein, Jerome Lowenthal, Oxana Yablonskaya, Alexander Kobrin, Jon Nakamatsu, John Perry, Roberto Plano, Angela Cheng, Alan Chow, Haochen Zhang, Arthur Greene and Yoshikazu Nagai have inspired her immensely.
Clara has taken part in numerous international piano festivals, including the Weimar Masterclasses in Germany, Music Fest Perugia in Italy, Puerto Piano Festival, the John Perry International Piano Academy, Vivace Matera International Music Festival, Adamant Piano Festival Masterclasses, International Philadelphia Young Pianists Academy, Aloha International Piano Festival and the Colburn Young Artists Summer Academy.
In her Sophomore year at the Manhattan School of Music Clara transcribed Gustav Holst’s orchestral work “The Planets” for solo piano, which she premiered at her Sophomore recital in 2022. She is also a composer of several works and has transcribed music from other genres, including Benny Goodman’s “Sing, Sing, Sing” and choral music by Moses Hogan.
Clara studied under Rufus Choi, Prof. Dmitry Rachmanov and Ory Shihor. She received her undergraduate degree from the Manhattan School of Music with Professor Jeffrey Cohen and is a recipient of the President’s Award Scholarship currently pursuing her Masters degree with Dr. Wael Farouk.
Clara is a prolific and passionate writer having written several novels and comedies. She is currently completing a dystopian trilogy as well as a comedy of errors.